


till kingdom come

by jjokkomi



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Twins, Do Insoo (OC)/ To be determined..., End Game Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Eventual Romance, Explicit Language, F/F, F/M, Jongin is kind of an asshole, Light Angst, M/M, MAMA Powers, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Mystery, Non-Graphic Violence, Obscure Relationships, When i say obscure relationships ..... i mean it ...., Wolf!AU, but so is Kyungsoo, that i can't tag bc that would be spoiling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-09
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2019-06-07 14:09:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15220865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjokkomi/pseuds/jjokkomi
Summary: Reclaiming a kingdom is hard when everyone is trying to kill you. Having a twin that you were unaware of for twenty years just makes it that much more complicated.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> beginning.

It’s a full moon the night before the celebration, the temperatures cooling down significantly by the time its late. The wind is harsh against his face as he climbs up onto the roof. There’s vines and branches growing up the side of the palace that it doesn’t take much effort to make his way up. It’s muscle memory at this point, knowing which parts are sturdier and which will give way easier. It doesn’t take long before he has to push himself up one last time and finally climb the last part up and onto the roof.

He lets out a breath as he stands up, moving up as far as he can go with the angle before moving to sit, looking up at the moon happily. His sleepwear isn’t nearly thick enough for the cold but he doesn’t care too much. He’s always preferred the cold than the heat, just like he prefers when the moon is out rather than the sun.

He closes his eyes and lets himself recharge mentally, knowing it has to be past midnight already for the guards to be changing out along the palace walls. The celebration taking place later during the day should be enough of a reason to climb back down to his room and try and sleep, but he can never sleep right during a full moon. His whole body feels alert and awake, limbs itching for him to move and find as much moonlight as possible.

He hears the wind change slightly before he hears the footsteps, making him let out an audible sigh as he looks up, wishing for once he could be left alone.

“You know it’s really a safety concern having you climb up here every time you can’t sleep,” Jongin states plainly, making him roll his eyes.

“No one said you had to come up here with me,” he retorts, shooing the elder away from his view.

Jongin sighs but sidesteps, following where his line of vision is going before tossing a box at him. He reacts instantly, just barely catching it and fumbling a bit in order to not have it drop and fall off the roof.

“Happy birthday, your highness,” Jongin comments, making him frown but look down at the gift regardless.

“I told you not to call me that,” he grumbles, unwrapping the cloth and then opening the box to reveal a new paint brush set. It has his lips twitching, looking up at Jongin curiously.

“Heard you complaining to a servant about it the other day. Don’t act so surprised,” Jongin informs him, giving him a brief look before he glances back at the scenery.

“Thank you,” he says softly, picking a smaller brush up and smiling at the quality. He’s been using the same old brushes since his fifteenth birthday and a new set is long overdue. Painting is one of the few activities he has to keep him entertained ever since King Kim decided he was a little too good at archery.

“You only come of age once. I would have gotten you a sword like tradition, but I doubt you could lift it,” Jongin jokes, irritating him just as easily as he made him smile.

“I’ll push you off and break that crown of yours,” he comments, knowing it’s an empty threat because he simply doesn’t have the strength or skill to catch Jongin by surprise. He would just apparate before he hit the ground.

“Threatening the Crowned Prince is considered _treason_ ,” Jongin replies, his voice stern but he’s got half a smile on his face. “Wouldn’t want to get executed before your big celebration.”

“It’s not really my celebration to begin with,” he says in reply, wrapping the brushes back up before reaching up to hold onto his necklace. The metal is freezing against his skin as he thumbs along the silver, mind starting to wander.

“A celebration is still a celebration,” Jongin reasons, shrugging indifferently.

He frowns, mood turning sour no matter how bright the moon is tonight. “My mother and father both died. Twenty years ago. Today,” he says quietly, bending his legs up to his chest and resting his chin on top of his knees.

His grandfather may have started the war, but it was his father that ended up paying the price. He has no memory of him or his mother, only a necklace with his family crest. He doesn’t have any family, being a ward of the Kim’s since he was born. He’s grown up in the palace, with the Kim’s, but they’re not quite family.

Jongin doesn’t comment further, just stares out at the estate before letting out a loud sigh.

“You should go inside before you get sick. I’m not missing the fireworks tomorrow night because you’re in bed with snot running down your nose.”

“If you’re _cold_ you should just go to bed, _your highness_ ,” he retorts, never having gotten sick due to a little cold air.

Jongin lets out a small growl, which would scare most people but he’s grown up around the entire Kim family. Nothing they do or say would scare him at this point. Not even when they shift and are twice his size. He knows Jongin is always more irritable when it’s a full moon, wolf tendencies and all, so he supposes he really _should_ listen.

“It’s _not_ a suggestion, Insoo. _Go_. I’ll see you in the morning,” Jongin says before he’s gone, probably back to his room before the guards realize he even left.

He knows better than to stay out unguarded so he takes one last long look at the moon. With a tiny sigh he moves to get up, tucking the brush set in between the belt holding his robe shut so he can climb back down to his room. He lands on the balcony soundly, dusting himself off before opening the door to his room and walking back in. Walking further into the room he pauses when he realizes his door is open, confusing him because he distinctly remembers locking it.

He sighs as he walks over and recloses it, looking at the lock and frowning when he realizes it’s been messed with. He’s instantly on edge, looking around and being tempted to alert one of the guards but deciding against it. He doesn’t need people worrying so soon to the celebration. A security breach will just ruin everything.

He checks his closet and then under his bed, finding nothing or no one. Too tired to walk into the hallway to tell a guard to get Jongin for him, he goes and lies in bed, setting his paint brush set next to his pillow and looking out the window.

It’s a full moon tonight, so sleep won’t come easy.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my fingers slipped
> 
>  
> 
> a combination of inspiration from game of thrones, exo's mama and the war concepts, and whatever other nonsense goes on up in my head  
> will add more tags as appropriate but nothing to give the plot away...hopefully otl


	2. 01

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> twenty.

Insoo walks the palace halls tiredly, rubbing his eyes as he makes his way towards the dining area. He’s not a morning person, not in the least bit, and it was a struggle to just get out of bed when the servants knocked on his door. The only motivation he had was the bath water turning cold, because despite him loving the cool temperatures of winter, he can’t stand to be in water that’s anything but steaming hot.

He bows politely back at the servants he passes, knowing he really doesn’t deserve it. He’s not royalty, at least, not important royalty. Being the sole heir to a kingdom that the Kim’s and Byun’s own, a castle left abandoned in the hills, doesn’t mean much. After the war ended the Kim’s took over most of the Do’s old land, giving some to their allies, mostly the Byun’s.

Technically he’s a prince, but, with nothing to inherit and no kingdom to be a prince of. If he’s being realistic he’s just another orphan from the war the Kim’s took in. He’s been their ward since he was born, growing up with the pack and watching from the sidelines with no real say in anything. He’s smart, so he knows to stay out of the way. He knows his place within the palace walls.

The Kim’s are one of the oldest royals within the three, previously four, kingdoms. The direct descendants of the first King possess the ability to actually transform into wolves, meaning he kind of had to get over his fear of large animals at a young age. They’re the only royals that still possess the ability to transform. The Byun’s lost their ability hundreds of years ago, bad genetics and bad luck at play. Rumors say dark magic, but Insoo can’t be too sure of those.

His family could transform into dragons, the ability being passed along to direct descendants as well. He’s been told his father had red wine-colored hair, his dragon a deep burgundy color with the ability to create lava. He has to rely on stories that sometimes he gets told, although its rather taboo to even discuss his family.

His grandfather started a war that lasted ten years, that ended up costing his father his life. His mother died during childbirth and he hasn’t met a single person that can tell him anything about her. He’s clueless, only knowing he _had_ a mother once. She gave him his necklace, presumably. Every Do in the royal family had one, made from pure silver and shaped to represent the family crest. A dragon and something unique to each of their own respective dragons.

He's not sure why his has a moon, considering he can’t transform into a dragon and he has no powers. The ability starts around age thirteen, much like it does in the Kim’s. He remembers being secluded outside of the estate around his thirteenth birthday, out of fear of what would happen. But, days turned into weeks, and nothing changed in him.

It can skip generations, at least that’s what the physician told him when King Kim had him examined. He’s _normal_ , nothing even in his scent to indicate something lying underneath, buried in some part of him. He’s already twenty now, with no indication of any sort of powers lying within him, he doesn’t pose much of a threat anymore.

Most of the Kim’s possess certain powers on top of their ability to transform into a wolf twice his size. Jongin’s grandfather could control ice, something his eldest cousin Minseok inherited. His father can become invisible to the naked eye. Prince Jongin can teleport, randomly popping up into places and constantly annoying him.

He would think living with him for twenty years, the past six being entrusted in his care and being constantly watched by him, he would have gotten used to it, but he hasn’t. The initial flinch when he shows up in front of him is normal. But he’s a bit moody this morning, so the attempt to hit him for laughing is new.

“Can you just walk places like a normal person?” he questions exasperatedly, giving the taller male a glare.

“Of course, but then I wouldn’t be annoying you,” Jongin replies carelessly, shrugging and looking away. “Alpha isn’t pleased that you missed breakfast. The celebrations are apparently stressful on top of it being a full moon, I’d steer clear of him.”

Insoo frowns, knowing he isn’t the King’s favorite person in the estate, but still, it’s his birthday after all.

“I didn’t sleep well last night,” he excuses, not having fallen asleep until the moon was just starting to disappear. He felt uneasy and restless, itching to go back out on the roof.

“I didn’t ask,” Jongin replies, grabbing a hold of his arm and tugging him along. “Hurry up, I told the servants to save you some food.”

“You can’t just take us there? Since when do _you_ walk anywhere?” he questions, not liking being manhandled by the elder, but Jongin is stronger than him.

“You’re too delicate, you threw up last time,” Jongin reminds him, making his cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

“That’s because you didn’t warn me,” he grumbles, feeling himself being tugged before Jongin is taking them to the kitchens, throwing him off guard and making him woozy when they appear at their destination.

He wobbles a bit, grabbing a hold of Jongin’s arm for support as he tries to gather his bearings. He refuses to look up, already knowing Jongin is just smiling smugly at him. He takes a couple of deep breaths before he looks around, noting that the servants are already prepping for the celebrations later tonight.

However, on the counter near some pitchers of water is a plate of some sort of food that Jongin goes over and picks up. He watches curiously as the elder comes back and holds it out to him impatiently. He looks down, lips twitching into a smile when he sees the tarts filled with dragon fruit jam.

“If I didn’t know any better I would think you actually _like_ me,” he comments, reaching over for the plate and immediately popping a tart into his mouth.

“A tiny orphan like you? Not likely,” replies, making him roll his eyes.

He eats his tarts in silence, politely asking for a glass of water from a servant who goes and fetches him one. He probably won’t eat again until the festivities start. The entire estate will be filled with royalty and excitement and at the end of the night, the fireworks will start. Since it’s the twentieth anniversary the celebration is luckily taking place at the Kim’s kingdom. Last year it was at the Byun’s and he’s glad he won’t have to get lost in that castle they call a home.

“Is Juran and her family coming?” he questions hesitantly, knowing it’s not the easiest subject to breach with Jongin.

The elder nods his head once, crossing his arms over his chest and not looking happy for bringing her up.

“Who is going to watch me then?” he questions, looking up at the elder who just scowls, making him regret asking him so soon. He probably should have waited a bit. The elder still isn’t keen on the idea of getting married in about two years.

“Joonmyun probably,” is all Jongin says, glaring at nothing in particular.

“She’s pretty,” he replies if only to ease the tension, but wolves have bad tempers and he only gets growled at.

“Then maybe _you_ should marry her,” Jongin snaps, making him flinch in response.

He frowns, taking the last tart and eating a small bite. “I’m not even allowed to be in a room alone with a girl,” he mumbles, stuffing the rest of the tart into his mouth and chewing slowly.

It’s a rule King Kim implemented as soon as he turned _twelve_. He’s always had a guard watching him, eventually Jongin being held responsible for him, but after he started growing up a bit other rules got implemented. Bastards are one thing but bringing another _Do_ into the world that could potentially overthrow people simply by carrying the dragon trait is another. He’ll probably never get married or be _allowed_ to. At least, not to a _girl_.

“A girl would actually _want_ to be alone in a room with you to begin with,” Jongin comments, making him frown.

He sets his glass of water down, shaking his head as he moves to exit the kitchen, at his limit of attitude he can take from the Prince. He rubs his eyes, wondering if he’ll be allowed to paint in the gardens today. Normally it’s not an issue, but with the estate in prep for the festivities they may not want him in the way.

He walks back towards his rooms first, knowing King Kim is already irritated with him, he doubt’s he’ll be let out of the palace doors until the festivities start. He’ll just have to make use of the easel in his room today. He walks into the hallway that leads to his room and pauses, seeing a familiar figure.

“Hyung!” he shouts, rushing over towards the elder and trying to resist the urge to hug Minseok but failing, jumping as he hugs him. “I didn’t think you would be home until the summer,” he rushes out, excited that the elder is back.

“They let me come home for the celebrations. I’ll leave in the morning. Happy birthday,” he states calmly, handing him a small hand drawn portrait of a castle from his coat.

“Thank you,” he comments, not understanding the gift at all but just being glad Minseok is home for the day.

“Open it when you’re alone,” Minseok states before looking past him and presumably spotting Jongin because he bows.

Ranking and pack hierarchy has always been one of his _least_ favorite things about living with the Kim’s, because despite Minseok being three years older than Jongin, he still has to do what the Prince orders him to do without question. Although he knows Jongin doesn’t necessarily enforce ranking when he’s alone with his cousins, Minseok has had it instilled in him to be proper.

“Have you seen your brother yet?” he questions, ignoring Jongin’s presence which makes Minseok give him a scolding look, but he ignores it.

“I didn’t come home to see him,” Minseok replies quietly, making him frown a little.

Minseok has never gotten used to Joonmyun, although he can understand why. The eldest of Jongin’s cousins isn’t exactly in line for the throne, or even his father’s part of his estate. He was born before the war really started, from a random woman his father took to bed while on border duties, and not the wife he had back home. So Joonmyun outranks him too.

“He’s supposed to watch me later during the festivities, can you do it instead?” he questions, looking at Jongin for approval because he’s sure Joonmyun has already been made aware.

“If Prince Jongin says it’s okay,” Minseok replies, looking at Jongin as well and ready to be given orders.

“If you want to watch the runt then _you_ can tell Joonmyun he’s not needed,” Jongin states diplomatically, making him bite his lip and look over at Minseok, who is automatically uncomfortable.

“I can tell him, hyung,” he whispers out, not wanting to upset the elder when he hasn’t seen him since the fall. “Please?” he questions, biting his lip and smiling when the elder nods.

“You should at least tell your _father_ you’re here,” Jongin speaks up, making Minseok frown but nod his head obediently, bowing before excusing himself, Jongin following after him.

He sighs before he goes to open his door, closing it behind him and going to sit on his bed. He looks over the small framed painting and tilts it before turning it over and undoing the clasps, so he can open it up like Minseok said. He’s careful not to cut himself on the sharp edges of the prongs keeping it closed before lifting the back cover off.

He blinks when he sees a smaller parchment sticking to the back, folded into a smaller square. He lifts it up and begins to unfold it, nearly dropping it when he realizes there’s something wrapped up in it. A silver necklace falls out, surprising him.

He hesitantly picks it up and examines it curiously. There’s a dragon on it, wrapped around a stone in the middle that’s white, but emits a blue shine when he tilts it. He opens up the locket and frowns, seeing a plain white background with several black spots dotted variously. He tilts it some more, trying to make sense of it before sighing and closing it back up, confused.

It could have belonged to one of his family members, he thinks, examining it and comparing its shine to his own necklace. He checks the back of the locket, thumbing over the metal with a frown. It seems to be of the same material his is made out of, which would explain why it was wrapped up. Minseok probably couldn’t touch it directly without getting his hand burned from the metal.

He gets up from his bed and moves to put it next to the other important trinkets he’s collected over the years. Some glass marbles he got from his visit to the Byun’s kingdom a year ago, a felt rabbit his wet-nurse gave him before she left the estate once he turned five, and some gemstones he’s managed to collect while doing what little traveling he's allowed.

He doesn’t own much, considering he has no real money to his name and probably won’t ever be given permission to leave the estate. Maybe when Jongin is King, he might let him wander off, but by then he’ll be too old to really start traveling and making another life for himself. No, he’ll be stuck here until he dies, or he’s kicked out, or something.

He spends the rest of the afternoon painting and then trying to pry stories out of Minseok since he’s been on border patrol down south for _months_. Minseok doesn’t talk much but is probably the only royal in the palace that doesn’t act so high and mighty, even if it’s because he’s the lowest ranking Kim in the estate. He’s been a solider since he turned sixteen, escaping the palace the first chance he got.

He always brings back stories, even if he has to beg and pry them out of his mouth with a little bribing and flattery. Jongdae often jokes about his obvious favoritism to the elder and says they might as well elope, but he’s sure that’s more of a mean joke. Kim’s have their wives, and on occasion husbands, picked out for them at birth. It’s all politics and match making to strengthen alliances.

Jongin is betrothed to Park Juran, her family high ranking nobles within the territory of the Byun’s that was previously owned by the Do’s. It’s a smart move, Minseok explained, as there’s still friction between some of the people in those territories. Despite him being the only person able to try and reclaim that land, people still have loyalty to his family and believe the Byun’s, won’t ever truly be their rulers.

The Park’s are well received in the territory, so a marriage between one of their own and a Kim is supposed to be good, or so Minseok says. He doesn’t see how her becoming queen will suddenly make anyone hate the Byun’s or the Kim’s less, but he wasn’t raised in a war room like Minseok.

Regardless, it’s none of his business who gets married off to who. Minseok is the only one not betrothed, considering his status. He isn’t even really allowed to be introduced to royalty, having to stay out of the way or he might make someone uncomfortable or offend them. Insoo doesn’t like it, but he’s not allowed near certain nobility often either, so as a child he was always put off to the side with the boy five years his senior.

When he was still too small to even be at the festivities, Minseok would sit with him in his rooms, making sculptured ice dragons or simply letting it snow. He’s closer to Minseok than anyone, but he doesn’t know if he would ever want to _marry_ him. The older he gets the more curious he becomes of what the courting customs would have been for him, had he been a prince.

He’s too busy thinking of what the protocol would even be to court Minseok to pay attention to where he’s going, having a servant bump into him harshly. He blinks stupidly, bowing awkwardly and feeling bad when he sees he’s dropped his basket.

“I’m sorry, your highness,” the boy says quietly, not looking him in the eye before rushing off, leaving him with a frown.

He thinks it’s a stupid joke for Jongin to try and pull, making the _servants_ call him your highness, but he doesn’t have time to go complain to the future alpha. When he looks for him he sees he’s already occupied with a girl in a pretty bright red traditional dress. He sighs, looking instead at Minseok who is walking over to him, probably been dismissed by his father to go perform the duty of watching him all night.

“The necklace, where did you get it?” he questions, staying near the hall doors and not really wanting to go mingle in the court yard where the lanterns are being lit and the food is being set up.

“I was assigned to check the Do’s old castle for random wanderers. I found it in what used to be the back gardens,” Minseok explains quietly, showing off his hand where a bright red mark is from when he probably tried to pick it up.

“Who do you think it belonged to?” he questions, fiddling with his own necklace as he watches the servants continue to bring out food.

“I don’t know, but you would have had to be related to them. Only royalty had necklaces made of pure silver like yours.”

“My mother?” he questions, not wanting to give himself false hope. It could have been his grandmothers, an aunt, or even great aunt. No one knows anything about his mother, where she came from or when she and his father married. She was one of the best kept secrets during the war, it seems, and for good reason if she was pregnant with him.

“I don’t know, but I knew it should belong to you now,” Minseok comments, making his heart twist.

All that’s left of what family he had are trinkets and jewelry. It’s not enough, but it means _something_ to him. Anything is better than nothing, so it makes his stomach twist, always a little sad even when he should be entirely happy. He stares at the elder and acts on instinct, standing on his tip toes and leans forward, only managing a chaste kiss before he’s being shoved away. Rather, he’s _pulled_ away by someone strong, recognizing the sound of Jongin’s annoyed growl instantly.

“You’re dismissed,” Jongin bites out, directing it towards Minseok who gives him a stiff bow and walks away.

He winces, trying not to whimper at the crushing grip Jongin has on his arm but manages to have one slip out anyways when he’s all but dragged back inside the palace. He barely gets a chance to look over at Juran, who has a confused frown on her lips as she searches for her betrothed.

“Do you want to get killed? Or worse, get _me_ in trouble?” Jongin questions, tugging him harshly down the corridors and towards his bedroom.

“You’re _hurting_ me,” he huffs, snatching his arm back and glaring at the elder, refusing to let him throw a tantrum. Not today.

“Better me than someone else,” Jongin snaps, glaring back at him and looking close to growling. “What were you _thinking_? What if my father saw you?” he questions hotly, shoving him towards his room and managing to grab onto his arm again.

“It’s none of his business,” he argues, feeling his cheeks start to heat up and his eyes start to sting. “It’s none of _your_ business,” he adds on, whining when Jongin’s grip becomes too tight to be human.

“I don’t care if you let that bastard kiss you, I don’t even care if you let him fuck you. Just have the common sense to know if you get _caught_ my father will make you _regret_ it,” Jongin says harshly, looking ten seconds away from losing it and shifting right then and there.

He glares, feeling hot tears pool in the corner of his eyes as he stares at the elder. “I hate you,” he bites out, because it’s all he can manage to say before he cries, shoving the elder out of his room and slamming the door on his face.

He sharply inhales, trying to keep in all his sobs as he sits with his back to the door, so tired of always ending up back in his room feeling miserable any time he tries to do someone any normal person his age would do. He cries until he makes himself stop, getting up and rummaging through his things and grabbing a satchel, stuffing it with clothes and what little he has before he stops.

Even if he left he would have nowhere to go, nowhere to really hide. The second they realize he’s missing they’ll send a search party that would find him in minutes. They would track him down easily and drag him back here, where he’d probably get locked up in his room until King Kim decided he’d learned his lesson.

He lets out a frustrated sigh, moving to sit down on the floor near his bed and hugging his felt rabbit to his chest. He doesn’t know how long he sits there, staring out the window until the stars are out and knock on his door is startling him.

He moves to stand up, answering it with a solemn face and blinking back his confusion when he sees a servant with their head bowed and a tray in his hands.

“Prince Jongin instructed me to bring you dinner, your highness,” the servant states quietly, so he moves to take it, looking down and feeling his stomach start to grumble. He hasn’t eaten in _hours_ and despite wanting to throw it out the window he says a quiet thank you and moves to sit on the floor.

There are sweet tarts and small goblet of wine along with meats and fruits, some of his favorite things. It’s an apology, the closet thing he’ll get to one by the elder, because wolves are complicated hard-headed things. He won’t ever hear Jongin apologize, but he still manages to without even having to open his mouth.

He sighs, eating his food in silence and wondering what time it is and if the fireworks will start soon. The noise from outside tells him the festival is in full swing, music and laughter and cheers all celebrating what lead to him being stuck in the room in the first place. He gets up however when he hears the noise start to escalate, swaying a bit as he does.

There’s a shrill scream and then shouting, making him look out his window to see that there are flames in the distance, coming from the surrounding forests on almost all sides. He feels his vision start to black out, his body feeling heavy as he grips onto the window sill. Something is wrong, making him panic as he tries to walk towards the door to call a guard, only to fall and the last thing he sees before he blacks out is the lock on the door turn.

 

\--

 

There’s yelling, is the first thing Insoo thinks as he slowly starts to wake up. It’s hot, his skin feeling damp with sweat and the smell of burning wood filling his nostrils. It makes him choke, going into a coughing fit as he moves to his side. He feels someone grab him, lift him up so he’s not lying sideways in the dirt.

His vision is blurry, but he can see the red flames in the distance, the smoke coming out of what used to be the palace, where he should be right now. He feels someone grab his face, moving his head so he’s looking straight. It’s Jongin, his clothes covered in soot and a big nasty red burn on his arm that tells him he was in that building. He’s talking, but his hearing is muffled and distorted, like he’s underwater and his head feels full.

He coughs even more, looking around in confusion as to what’s going on. There’s fire all on sides of the estate, people rushing to put it out before it takes out every building close enough. He whines, reaching out and holding onto Jongin as he continues to cough, hearing a ringing noise instead of what’s being said to him.

They’re far away from the estate with guards on all sides, no doubt keeping a watch on their prince in all the chaos. A healer is trying to tend to the nasty burn on Jongin’s arm, but he glares at her, saying something that makes her flinch and move away and towards him.

He whines when he feels hands on both sides of his head, feeling woozy as he feels her try and fix him up. He winces when the ringing stops, flinching away from her and towards Jongin, burying his face in the elder’s neck.

“He’s been drugged,” he hears the healer say, which makes him whine louder, his limbs feeling immobile and his vision blurry around the edges each time he tries to open his eyes. He wants to sleep, but Jongin pulls him back to look him in the face.

“What did you eat?” Jongin questions him, holding his head when he feels it start to drop, his eyes drooping tiredly as he forces himself to stay awake.

“The food you sent me,” he chokes out, feeling his throat burn from all the smoke he more than likely inhaled.

“I didn’t send you any food,” Jongin states sternly, shaking him awake and as a result he feels himself gag before he throws up, the motion sickness becoming too much.

Jongin makes a disgusted noise but doesn’t let go of him. He doesn’t try and soothe him in anyway either, but just his hands on his arms is enough for him to not start shaking like he wants to. He feels so cold, but he can feel the sweat trickling down his back.

He sits tucked into Jongin’s side long enough for the healer to lessen the effects of whatever is in his system. It’s enough for his vision to at least return to normal, making him almost wish it hadn’t. He sees nothing but flames along the side of the palace where his room was, making want to rush over there. All his belongings are up in flames, making his stomach churn.

It doesn’t take too long for the flames to subside, with Minseok and Joonmyun both taking one side of the estate and meeting in the middle along with palace guard and other guards from the royalty there helping. It’s past midnight by the time they’re able to safely go inside any remaining part of the estate. It's one of buildings near the garden, usually only used for training. 

Jongin keeps him at his side the entire time, even when the royal family is called together, and he shouldn’t be allowed in the room. He stays quiet and keeps his head down as they all walk in, exchanging comments of relief. He looks over when he sees one of Jongin’s aunts crying quietly, noting that Jongdae isn’t in the room. His gut twists as he tries to look around, failing to spot him.

“I hadn’t seen him all day,” he says quietly, knowing Jongin will still hear him.

“He’s fine,” Jongin states sternly, not sure who exactly he’s trying to reassure. “We’ll find him.”

He nods, looking around some more and spotting Minseok alone in the corner. He’s out of the way, at the complete opposite end of the room from his father’s wife. He normally isn’t allowed in the same room as her but considering the circumstances, he’s probably not allowed out of his father’s sight. He understands why he’s at least trying to make himself hidden as much as possible.

There’s soot in his hair, making the normally pale white color turn grey. It makes him look a bit more like his half-brother, who has the traditional grey hair color just like Jongin. Jongdae’s the only one who isn’t even on the same shade spectrum, sunny blonde hair making him always stand out.

He flushes when Minseok catches him staring, looking away out of embarrassment and hiding his face in Jongin’s clothes. He immediately regrets it, coughing again when the elder smells so thickly of smoke.

“How is it you were trapped in room full of fire and you don’t even have a single burn mark on you?” Joonmyun questions, staring at him pointedly and making him inch away.

“Did I say you could stand near me?” Jongin questions his cousin, getting an exasperated look from Joonmyun before he’s turning away and walking over towards his half-brother who spots him and immediately starts walking the other way.

“Do you know who started the fire?” he questions hesitantly, not wanting Jongin to get upset with him again.

“ _Fires_ ,” Jongin replies plainly, “Plural. There were _five_ , different locations around the estate. Which servant brought you food?” he questions him back, making him frown.

“I don’t know his name. He was new, I’d never seen him before today,” he replies with a shrug, having thought it was a little weird that neither of his usual servants had bothered him all day. He assumed they were busy helping with the festival and someone else had taken their place.

“Last night,” he starts, only to pause, immediately shutting up when Jongin’s father comes over to them, looking at them with a frown.

“I told you not to go into the palace,” the King states sternly, giving Jongin an angry scolding look as he eyes the bandage on his arm.

Jongin fidgets, “You also told me Insoo was my responsibility,” he replies plainly, meeting his father’s gaze before looking away.

King Kim is tall and broad, his hair more white than grey due to his older age. He’s always serious, never smiling or even laughing. At least from what he’s seen of the elder. Insoo remembers being just six and hiding behind Jongin’s legs as he got scolded for doing something any normal child would do. No matter what he does he’s always in trouble with King Kim, just because of who his family was..

“If I was just supposed to let him suffocate or burn to death, then _sorry_ ,” Jongin comments, his sass always getting him glared at by his father.

They butt heads a lot, especially when it comes to him. King Kim wants him alive but doesn’t really care much after that. He could as unhappy as can be, so long as he’s still breathing. Jongin cares about him a little more, although he won’t say it out loud. He’s all witty comments and mean remarks but, if he so much as looks upset he’s trying to cheer him up, in his own odd ways.

“They can’t find Jongdae, and his servants haven’t seen him all day,” he hears Jongin’s mother speak up, placing herself in between her husband and son.

“No one bothered to say anything earlier?” King Kim snaps, making his wife frown at him disapprovingly, her eyes wandering over to her sister-in-law who is inconsolable.

Insoo spares her a glance, knowing she must be distraught as can be. Jongdae used to have an older brother, but, he was killed in the war. She’s always been overprotective of Jongdae because of it.

He tries to think positively, knowing that if Jongdae hasn’t been seen, it’s not because he was in the palace at least. But that still raises questions as to _where_ he is and if he’s okay. He thinks to bring up the lock situation from last night, and how someone had messed with it again from what he could tell before he blacked out but remains silent.

“We need to talk, send him out with a guard,” King Kim instructs, making him frown but look around to see if he can spot the usual boy he ends up being handed over to.

“No,” Jongin replies, making his father’s eyes widen briefly before he starts glaring at him, a growl threatening to leave his throat.

“Whoever did this also managed to _drug_ him. He’s not safe unless he’s with me,” Jongin explains sternly, his grip on his wrist tightening and making him wince.

Jongin’s father growls at him but walks away without saying anything, making him let out a relieved sigh.

“My wrist,” he whispers hastily, tugging himself away with a whimper as soon as it becomes too much. He ends up giving the elder a glare, not having forgotten why he was in his room in the first place. “ _You_ are the one that sent me to my room,” he whispers harshly once Jongin’s father is out of hearing range.

“No one ordered you to stay there the whole night,” Jongin replies, refusing to meet his eyes.

“You’re an asshole and I still hate you,” he snaps, only letting Jongin tug him to his side because deep down he’s terrified that someone _is_ after him.

It can’t be a coincidence, all the little things he’s noticed. Not the lock on his door, the new servants, the fires, someone _drugging_ his food. It’s all connected, even Jongin knows that and he doesn’t have all the clues to piece it together. Whoever planned all this also picked a significant date to pull it all off.

His entire life he’s never once _really_ needed Jongin’s protection until tonight. So, he sticks by the elder and does his best to not manage to piss any of the royal family off, knowing they’re all on edge after everything. He really wants to go outside, because it’s a full moon and he always gets restless, but he stays put.

He messes with his necklace, sitting on the floor near the entrance so he can at least look up at the sky. The courtyard is still filled with servants attempting to accommodate everyone who lives too far away to travel home tonight. He spots some of the Byun’s, their clothes always sticking out because they’re overdone. There’s too much gold and silvers for him to stare at them comfortably.

“Minseok is going to watch you. I have to go apologize to Juran,” Jongin comments lowly, not looking happy about it.

“For what?” he questions, getting a glare before Jongin is stomping his way out into the courtyard and heading towards one of the tents set up.

“He left her alone, during the fire, to go get you. As soon as he couldn’t find you he just left her,” Minseok speaks up, making him twitch and look over to see the elder moving to sit with him.

He’s changed into something that shows off his tattoo-less arms, unlike every other Kim. He’s not allowed to have them. He’s not sure if that’s really a blessing or a curse, knowing how long they take to get done and how painful it is. He would look nice with them though, he thinks. He must be staring for too long because Minseok fidgets with his pants, looking elsewhere.

“Oh,” he replies, clearing his throat and wishing he wouldn’t have kissed Minseok if it means things are going to be awkward and silent now.

“You look like your dad,” he blurts, getting a weird look from Minseok so he reaches out and toys with a bit of it before realizing he’s doing it _again_ and drops his hand. “It’s grey now, not white,” he mumbles, feeling himself go red in the cheeks when Minseok smiles briefly.

“Captain says you look like your father,” Minseok says lowly, making him frown as he stares at the floor instead.

He’s heard it before, by people who are too drunk to hold their tongue around him. He’s the spitting image of his father, minus the hair, they say. He’s never seen portraits to confirm it though. They were all burned after he died and there were no more Do’s left. He’s never even been to the castle, only seeing paintings of it, like the one Minseok got him that’s probably in ashes now.

“I wouldn’t know,” he replies, mood gone sour like it always does at the end of the day. He can’t be entirely happy he’s twenty when there’s no one to really celebrate it with. He doesn’t say anything else, knowing he has a sharp tongue when he’s upset and not wanting to say something he’ll regret.

He only feels himself get more irritated when Jongin comes walking back, Prince Baekhyun in tow. He’s too hyper for his liking, but he’s a Prince so he can’t say anything or offend him. He sighs, looking at Minseok with pleading eyes that he’ll excuse them, so he can be far away from the black-haired male.

“We can’t leave,” Minseok says apologetically, standing and moving away when Jongin comes back, not really supposed to mingle too much with other royalty.

“Your birthday has to be cursed or something,” Prince Baekhyun comments, standing near the entrance before leaning against the building and giving him a beaming look.

Jongin has the audacity to snort, looking amused which only makes him madder, feeling his jaw clench uncomfortably.

“You’re right your highness, it’s almost as if my entire family _died_ today,” he snaps, getting a surprised look from both Princes as he stands up and moves as far away from them as he can.

He passes by all the other Kim’s, making a point not to look where Jongdae’s mother is or he’ll just upset himself more. He goes and finds Minseok, the elder sitting in the corner of the room as far away from everyone else as he can be. He’s lying a blanket down on the floor that looks uncomfortable.

“Hyung,” he calls out softly, making Minseok look up at him with a tiny frown. He looks like he’s about to tell him to go back with Jongin, which just makes him start to tear up.

“It’s my _birthday_ ,” he chokes out uncomfortably, feeling his throat tighten up but he refuses to cry.

Crying is for children and women, he can just hear King Kim telling that to him if he were to catch him. He’s twenty now, he’s an adult, so he isn’t allowed to cry anymore.

“I’ll get in trouble,” Minseok comments, not looking at him which just makes him mad.

“Fine,” he replies plainly, too familiar with the feeling of being rejected to let it affect him so much right now.

He turns and walks away, going to find his own corner of the room away from everyone else and sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest. He bites his lip harshly until he tastes blood, holding onto his necklace pathetically before closing his eyes, almost wishing Jongin would have just left him in his room.

 

\--

 

Kyungsoo wakes up just as the first rays of sun shine through his cabin window, blinking slowly before he sits up. He yawns and rubs his eyes, looking around before moving to get up and change for the day. He’s on hunting duty, much like every other day so he needs to hurry and change and meet the others near the edge of the cave.

He puts on his clothes and grabs his bow, walking out of his cabin and into the camp. It’s still a little dark outside but not enough that he’s blindly walking around. Everyone else is asleep, the girls in charge of actually cooking probably won’t be up until they’re back at least.

He’s the first to arrive at the entrance and exit out of the village, which isn’t even surprising. He’s always the first person awake, which is one of the reasons he’s almost always put in the hunting groups by Hyoyeon. He’s also the only male, which is yet another excuse to make him go off with the rest, so he can help carry back any of the heavier meat. Not like the girls are incapable, because everyone in the village is anything but a damsel in distress.

He leans against the cave walls and closes his eyes, feeling a chill run through his body at how cold it still it. The cave is always cool, even during the hottest park of the day, but during the mornings it’s almost unbearable for him. He peeks his eye open when he hears walking, looking behind him to see Seulgi slowly dragging herself over towards him, eyes still squinting tiredly. He doesn’t greet her, not even sure if she’s aware she’s not the only person there as she goes and slumps onto the floor and hugs onto her knees.

He shakes his head, knowing her and her cabin stayed up late last night, he could hear the failed attempts at keeping their laughing down. _Serves her right_ , is all he thinks before he looks away and towards the village. He spots Yerim awkwardly walking alone, feeling momentarily bad for her as it’s her first trip. She’s practiced and Hyoyeon says she’s ready, but he doubts she’ll really _kill_ anything.

“Good morning,” she greets quietly, looking down at Seulgi with a confused frown before moving to sit next to him instead. “Happy birthday,” she adds, making him _have_ to say something now.

“Thank you,” he replies, offering her the tiniest of smiles since no one is around to tease him for it.

He sighs loudly when Joohyun and Sooyoung finally show up, knowing they’re just wasting time the longer they take. He eyes Joohyun as she walks up to them with a smile, immediately moving to catch the small coin purse she tosses at him. He looks down at it with a frown, wondering where she got the coins from in the first place.

“It’s a birthday gift. The closest brothel is about three hours away, I hear they only take silver coins,” she explains, making Yerim’s ears turn red and Sooyoung laugh behind her hand.  He glares at her, because that’s all he really can do. “What? You’re a _man_ now,” she teases, lips pulling into a sly smirk that has him glaring even harder.

“It’s too early for this,” Seulgi whines loudly, finally getting up from her spot and pushing her blonde hair behind her ear, making sure to give Joohyun a nasty look before she comes to stand near him.

“You know, I would have been fine being dumped in an orphanage. Instead I had to grow up here with _you_ ,” he states plainly, pocketing the coins because whether it’s a joke or not, they’re _his_ now.

“You know you love me, cousin,” Joohyun comments, giving him a smile before walking towards the front of the cave with Sooyoung right behind her. Yerim looks awkwardly at them and the older girls before trailing after them instead.

He rolls his eyes, looking over at Seulgi who is rummaging through one of the pockets in her satchel. She finds what she’s looking for, a bright colored string she uses to tie her hair up. She smiles before grabbing his arm and leading him towards the end of the cave.

“We didn’t keep you up last night, did we?” she questions him, linking their fingers as they walk down the steps and onto the side of the river.

“No, I couldn’t sleep well to begin with,” he replies, which is new for him. He never has any troubles falling asleep, always feeling exhausted as soon as the sun goes down.

“Birthday jitters? It’s an important one, you know. Don’t think I forgot, I got you a gift,” Seulgi comments, walking with a little spunk in her step now that she’s more awake.

“It’s just another boring day,” he replies plainly, knowing regardless of what he tells her she always gets him a gift. She’s given him a gemstone every year since she was six and thought picking up a rock from the ground counted as a gift.  It’s tradition and if he has a hoard of pretty stones hidden in his room, that’s his business.

“Turning twenty is a big deal. Yoona planned a dinner, I wasn’t supposed to tell,” Seulgi says quietly once they get closer to the edge of the woods and towards their usual hunting spot.

He nearly groans, not wanting to put up with everyone making a big deal over something so small. He’s twenty, it’s not like achieved anything great just by managing to survive this long. The girls in the village always go overboard for someone’s birthday, especially the sixteenth for them. It’s their tradition, but most everywhere else goes by twenty.

“There better be wine,” he states plainly, taking his bow out and getting prepped because he just wants to kill a buck big enough and drag it home for the girls to skin and cook.

He looks up when he spots a deer already killed over, Joohyun wiping the arrow clean on the grass while Sooyoung helps. Yerim doesn’t look too well, staring at the dead animal with a pale face.

“It’s just a buck,” Joohyun comments, looking indifferent before giving him a look that means he’s going to have to carry it back.

It’s big enough for breakfast but they still end up hunting more rabbits, piling them all together to make the trip easier. Yerim takes it upon herself to just stand guard to make sure no stray foxes try taking their kill, looking uncomfortable each time he drops a rabbit onto the pile.

He goes out one last time, knowing they have plenty for the day but he doesn’t want to just stand around waiting. He goes a bit deeper into the woods, being as quiet as he can and listening for anything running around.

He doesn’t want to go back to the village, knowing what they’re planning for him. He appreciates the gesture, but big parties and loud noise isn’t what he considers a gift. He would rather be alone in his cabin, watching the fireworks from the distant villages celebrate _whatever_ it is they celebrate every year on his birthday.

He’s only ever been outside the village a handful of times, each on business that usually involves him making sure no one tries to screw over the girls. Growing up in a village full of women and then going out into the real world, he’s learned that men are _stupid_ and always underestimate them. Especially girls like Joohyun, who are pretty and good at acting. He’s seen several broken noses as a result.

He pauses when he hears a twig behind him snap, feeling his pulse pick up when he looks around and realizes he’s managed to wander too close to the border of their territory. He curses himself mentally for getting distracted, trying to remain calm as he slowly turns around.

He looks around at his surroundings, not seeing anything out of place, but that doesn’t stop the feeling of being watched to form in his gut. He starts to walk back towards the spot they were at, not really in the mood to deal with the wanderers that always get lost in the woods. He picks up his pace before breaking out into a run when he hears another twig snap, needing to get to where he knows it’s safe.

He’s close, just several feet from the clearing when someone knocks him down from his side, causing him to stumble and fall onto the floor. He hits his head _hard_ , his ears ringing as he groans and curls in on himself. His vision is blurry as he opens his eyes, trying to look around to find what ran into him and feeling his blood turn cold when he sees it.

It’s a _wolf_ , but one way larger than he’s ever seen, its eyes glowing red as it bares its teeth at him. He tries to get up but can’t, his head spinning as all he can manage to do is crawl away from it until his back hits a tree trunk. He’s breathing heavy, his vision starts to turn black at the corners, body swaying as a sign he’s about to black out from a concussion.

Wolves aren’t allowed in their territory, since all the do is kill off the animals they hunt for food. But somehow, it’s there and it’s not even normal looking, if the eyes are any indicator of something being off. The wolf looks ready to _kill_ him, slowly stalking towards him all the while growling.

He glares, trying to think of a way out of the situation that doesn’t involve him getting mauled by a wolf the size of a bear but coming up with nothing. He feels adrenaline pumping in his veins when it lurches forward, squeezing his eyes shut only to be met with air.

He hears the wolf whine loudly, landing on the ground hard enough it shakes the dirt near them. He blinks his eyes open, watching as the giant wolf’s limbs start to crack disturbing enough that he feels himself gag and left in its place is a _man_ , no taller than him with dark blonde hair. He’s groaning, curling in on himself and bleeding from where the arrow is lodged into his tattooed arm.

He looks up and sees Yerim rushing over towards him, dropping her bow as she helps him sit up, looking terrified and pale.

“Well I’m glad you came along,” he states plainly, too busy trying to keep himself conscious to say a proper thank you.

“What the hell happened?” he hears Sooyoung question, the other rushing into the clearing and staring at the naked boy in confusion.

He looks around and feels himself start to sweat when he realizes they’re within their territory, meaning the male shouldn’t be here either on top of him being a _wolf_. Men aren’t allowed in the village unless they’re blood relatives to the original founder, like him. The protection spell is specific that even those married in can’t come. He, Yoona and Joohyun are the only descendants of those who founded the village. He’s not sure if it’s a blessing or just _luck_ that descendants like Yoona and Joohyun never end up having any male children. He’s the first in over a hundred years.

“He was a wolf, I shot him and he, just,” Yerim explains shakily, helping him up to his feet before Seulgi arrives, rushing up to him and moving her out of the way.

He winces when he feels her prod at his hair, where he hit his head. He’s not the least bit surprised when she pulls back, and her hands are stained red.

“I’m _fine_ ,” he lies, feeling woozy and on the verge of just blacking out for good, but she really doesn’t need to know that, or she’ll start to cry.

“Do we kill him?” Sooyoung questions, looking to Joohyun and then back at the man who is now trying to sit up.

He watches as Joohyun walks over to him and shoves him onto his back, pinning him down with her foot before leaning over him and going wide eyed. She keeps him pinned down but instructs one of the girls to get her rope. He can barely stand as he watches her and Sooyoung tie him up, only managing to cover his lower body up with a fur pelt since they’ll have to bring him back to the village.

“Can you manage to walk?” Seulgi questions quietly, making him look over at her and shake his head.

He knows if he even attempts he’s just going to fall on his face, then black out like he wants. He’s been in enough accidents to know he really shouldn’t fall asleep right now or he may not wake up. He’s not keen on dying on his birthday, so he stays still.

“Do you think you can….,” he trails off, watching as she bites her lip and contemplates it.

“I’m still learning, I could hurt you,” she mumbles hesitantly but, reaches out to place her hand over his head regardless.

He winces, trying to remain calm as she attempts to heal him up, even if it’s just a little bit. She’s still learning from Taeyeon, only able to do basic things with plants. He supposes if she does manage to make him mental or something, he could get healed up properly. _Hopefully_. Taeyeon is powerful, but he doesn’t know if she’s _that_ powerful to undo healing gone wrong.

His head feels fuzzy as she tries to channel the right magic for the right areas. He groans a bit when he feels something change, his head not pounding as harshly before she pulls her hand away, at her limit.

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes, looking a little worn out from what work she did do.

“It’s fine, I feel better,” he mumbles, taking a deep breath before they slowly start to move, trailing behind Sooyoung and Joohyun who are both carrying the unconscious man back to the village while Yerim runs ahead to alert Yoojin of what happened.

“Not quite the birthday surprise I hoped for,” he states plainly, glaring at the wolf, man, _whatever_ he is. He just wanted to hunt and then take a swim in the river at some point today.

“I’m glad you didn’t die at least,” Seulgi speaks up. He’s not sure if she’s joking or not so he doesn’t laugh, gripping her arm a bit tighter as they get closer to the village.

He barely manages to make it to the healing hut, immediately gaining Taeyeon’s attention from where she’s hunched over a book. Her eyes widen when she spots him, rushing to get up and help Seulgi set him down on the small bed in the corner.

“You look like you’re about to pass out, what happened?” Taeyeon questions worriedly, reaching out to place her hands on both sides of his head to begin her work.

“Long story short, there’s a man in the village and it isn’t Kyungsoo,” Seulgi comments, sitting on the bed next to him and wiping her bloodied hands on a cloth before holding onto his hand when he winces.

“That’s not possible. The spell would have had to be broken, which is _impossible_ ,” Taeyeon states sternly, looking up just as Joohyun and Sooyoung carry in the unconscious man in question, Yoona and her aunt Yoojin, both looking rather grim.

“That spell has been intact for over a _thousand_ years,” Taeyeon comments, finishing up her work and leaving him to lean against Seulgi, feeling tired but not on the verge of blacking out anymore.

“Something took it down and went undetected,” Yoojin comments, staring at the unconscious boy that Joohyun is currently strapping to a chair. “No one is allowed in or out of the village, understood?” she states, making him nod.

“Are you going to kill him? Because if I so I call dibs,” Kyungsoo states plainly, glaring at the blonde from his seat and wanting to go punch him in the side of the head for even managing to sneak up on him like he did.

“We can’t,” Yoona comments, making him look up at her with a frown, knowing they don’t take kindly to strangers wandering near their territory, let alone a man who somehow managed to take down an ancient spell and nearly kill him.

“Why?” he questions stubbornly, looking over just as the man starts to stir awake, groaning as the pain probably hits him.

“Because he’s royalty.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this fic is probably gonna get updated monthly (for now) so fyi :)
> 
> i have a thread here https://twitter.com/jjokkomis/status/1023329315029700608 of pics for reference  
> 


	3. 02

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sun & moon

Kyungsoo leans against the back of his chair, eyeing Seulgi as Yoojin hands her another book before going back and looking through the shelves. Yoona is hunched over a rather thick looking book, reading as fast and efficiently as she can while Seulgi goes slow, squinting at the pages and biting her lip. He would volunteer to help, but he hates to read.

He’s supposed to be in a bed back at the healing hut with Taeyeon, but he left when she was busy attempting to get rid of all the black magic that was in the Kim’s blood. He was bewitched when he attacked him, probably unable to truly realize what he was doing. Kyungsoo thinks it’s a nice excuse, but he doesn’t care. He didn’t want to be anywhere _near_ him, the uneasiness in the pit of his stomach telling him not to trust him no matter what.

He sighs as he moves his chair closer to Seulgi, the younger girl looking at him worriedly but keeping her mouth shut when he gives her a look. They can talk later, right now she’s supposed to be helping Yoona try and find something about the spell that was cast over the village when it was first founded, thousands of years ago.

The spell cast onto the village and surrounding area is ancient, something that shouldn’t have been able to be undone. It’s such an old spell there are no records of it anywhere in their village, meaning they can’t just put it back up. It’s ancient magic, so ancient and rare that he’s not even sure they’ll be able to find anything on it, let alone cast it again.

“This isn’t a place for chit chat today,” Yoojin states sternly when two girls walk into their makeshift library, talking amongst themselves.

It’s Yoojin’s study and has been reserved solely for the village leader since forever. Each leader has written in journals, passing down wisdom to the next woman to take her place. Although there has never been any known record of how the first elder cast the protection spell on the village, they’re hoping there’s something hidden in a journal that can point them in the right direction.

Kyungsoo leans against the back of his chair as he watches Seungwan and Joohyun, noting how they’re holding hands as they look around. He rolls his eyes when he hears the shorter girl say they were just wondering how they could help before he turns back to Seulgi. The blonde has her hands gripping her book tightly, knuckles going white. When the roots of her hair start going pale he grabs her arm and hauls her up.

“She’s taking a break,” he states plainly, maneuvering her away from the other two girls and ushering her out of the room.

He leads her out into the clearing, where several of the younger girls are running around with their dolls while their mothers watch from the houses. It’s still early and breakfast just ended but he’s yet to eat, his stomach not so kindly reminding him, which make Seulgi look at him with a screwed smile.

“Thank you,” Seulgi whispers, hair back to normal and looking more like herself.

Kyungsoo nods, not knowing what happened between her and the other two to cause such a reaction. The three were inseparable until they _weren’t_. He knows he should probably be inclined to side with family on whatever feud that took place, but he’s never thought twice about being by Seulgi’s side instead. They grew up attached at the hip, back when Seulgi’s hair was still a deep brown, and he’s not about to change that.

“Have you eaten?” he questions instead, watching as Seulgi shakes her head no and moves her hair behind her ears.

He doesn’t say anything further, just grabs her hand and leads her to the kitchens, knowing there is bound to be leftovers from earlier. The older woman in charge of meal prep has always had a soft spot for him, sneaking him extra meats and acting like the grandmother he never had, or knew. He’s a growing boy, she would tell him, he needed all he could get. So of course she fills them both plates and send them on their way.

“How is your head?” Seulgi questions after they’ve been given what’s left which consists of meats and breads and have secluded themselves into the nearby trees, in a spot that’s shaded and far away from the heart of village. The wind isn’t blowing so harshly there and he’s glad.

“Fine,” he replies, shrugging before grabbing a piece of deer and a taking a bite out of his roll.

“I didn’t mess it up?” she questions further, smiling a bit before stealing some of his bread and trading him some of her rice.

“Not that I can tell,” he mumbles, letting her scoot closer to him so they’re practically leaning on one another.

It’s colder than it has been all winter, which makes him uncomfortable. He prefers the summer, when the days are full of sunshine and heat and the nights are cool but never freezing. He also hates wearing so many layers during the winter, they just slow him down half the time.

“Well if you suddenly feel like, I don’t know, _dancing_ , let me know,” Seulgi informs him before looking over at one of the little girls who comes rushing up to them, her winter dress making her look like a ball of snow.

“Kyungsoo oppa!” Jiwoo calls out, her pigtails flapping dramatically as she rushes over.

Kyungsoo groans, glaring at Seulgi who just starts giggling. Jiwoo is, well, too loud for his liking and it just so happens she has some sort of weird admiration of him. Seulgi keeps calling it a crush but he refuses to acknowledge it. Jiwoo just doesn’t have a dad, or a mom for that matter. She just looks up to him, in the most annoying ways possible.

“Oppa! Taeyeon unnie said your friend is awake!” she chirps, looking at Seulgi and frowning a bit.

“My friend?” he questions plainly, rolling his eyes when Seulgi leans on him even more and Jiwoo looks appalled.

She huffs, crossing her arms over her chest before looking at him with a petulant pout on her lips, “The other _boy_ ,” she whispers before glaring at Seulgi and stomping her way back to the clearing.

Kyungsoo frowns, getting up and walking quickly back to the healing hut, not really knowing if Taeyeon sent Jiwoo to make him come back or the other boy is actually awake. He opens the wooden door and is met with Taeyeon’s back, the shorter girl standing as far away from the unknown man as possible, her hands up.

The boy tied up in the chair is awake, looking at Taeyeon like he wants to bite her head off but there’s something there that gives the threat away. The pure confusion and fear in his eyes completely contradicts his body language. Besides, he couldn’t get out of those ropes even if he tried. Joohyun is the best, he can admit that no matter how annoying she is. When the boy notices him, however, his whole demeanor changes into pure _annoyance_ of all things.

“If this is a joke it’s _not_ funny,” he snaps in his direction, making him frown and look at Taeyeon for a clue but she looks just as confused.

“What on earth did you do to your hair?” he questions, shaking his head before tugging on his restraints and wincing. “Untie me right _now_ and I won’t tell Jongin about this.”

“Who the fuck is Jongin?” he questions plainly, not moving an inch and instead leaning against the wall near the door.

“His cousin, the Crowned Prince,” Taeyeon explains, attempting to move near the boy but he growls at her and she stops before she can even get any closer. “Which one are you?” she questions, tilting her head and waiting patiently, but it’s only when he glares at him does the boy answer.

“Jongdae,” the blond replies, frowning slightly as he stares at him silence, assessing him with a weird glint in his eyes.

“Did you need me for something or can I leave?” he questions tiredly, making Taeyeon look at him with a frown that has him shrugging and looking back at the boy in the chair who is looking at him, his once angry face a little pale and confused.

“You aren’t Insoo.”

Kyungsoo feels his nose scrunch up, sparing him a glance before moving to leave but Taeyeon grabs him arm and makes him stay. He feels himself getting annoyed, about to open his mouth and gripe about letting him leave, because he has things he would rather be doing when the boy opens his mouth again.

“Is today your birthday?” Jongdae questions hesitantly, making him look back over at him silently.

He stares, eyeing him suspiciously and thinking before he narrows his eyes. “So, you were spying on me the whole time?” he questions hotly, his previous anger over being attacked by the boy, _wolf_ , coming back. He doesn’t exactly have the best temper to begin with and being attacked by random men who are apparently royalty doesn’t really help him remain calm.

“He was unconscious,” Taeyeon speaks up, but he just shakes his head.

“Not before he _attacked_ me,” he argues, knowing Seulgi had mentioned it when they were walking. He could have been watching them that entire time, stalking him.

“He wouldn’t remember anything before he was cursed. It was dark magic, real dark. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it,” Taeyeon comments, shaking her head and hesitantly moving closer to Jongdae who is still just staring at him annoyingly.

“How do you know it’s his birthday?” Taeyeon questions seriously, moving to stand behind Jongdae who tenses up and flinches when she moves to feel at his pulse point on his neck.

Kyungsoo sighs loudly, wanting to leave but getting a stern look from Taeyeon that has him stilling in his spot. He glares at her before directing his glare back to the Kim in the chair.

“It’s Insoo’s birthday today,” Jongdae replies quietly, looking lost in thought. “Do Insoo.”

“All the Do’s were killed off in the war,” Taeyeon replies, shaking her head before moving her hands to Jongdae’s temples and closing her eyes as she concentrates.

“No, Insoo was just a baby. My uncle, the King, brought him home. He lives with us, I’ve known him his whole life, and he looks exactly like _him_ ,” Jongdae informs them, making Taeyeon open her eyes and look at him.

Kyungsoo shakes his head, giving her an incredulous look when she seems like she’s buying his story. “You _seriously_ believe him?” he questions loudly, hands twitching at his sides out of annoyance.

“The last part of your sentence, is that true?” Taeyeon asks, frowning a bit but keeping her hands in place.

“Yes, I mean, not _exactly_. They don’t look identical, but they _do_. It’s the hair, Insoo has black hair. Everything else is the same, maybe Insoo is smaller, less muscle,” Jongdae explains, shaking his head and effectively making her remove her hands.

“I’m leaving, this is ridiculous,” he huffs out, shaking his head and moving to leave when he feels a familiar wall preventing him from moving at all. He glares, grinding his teeth together and turning around slowly to give Taeyeon a dirty look. This is why he has a bad temper, all the girls in the village love to annoy him.

“Insoo, how old is he?” Taeyeon questions, moving away from Jongdae to stand in front of him instead, finding him trustworthy enough she doesn’t try and touch him anymore.

“It’s his twentieth,” Jongdae replies, making him ease up on his glaring a bit. “He was born when the war ended, so it’s easy to remember.”

“He still could have overheard us. Let me leave already,” he argues, feeling more and more uneasy the longer he stays in the room. He doesn’t trust him at all and the more time he spends in the room the more his instincts tell him that.

“You look just like him, I thought you _were_ him,” Jongdae rushes out, brows furrowed as he stares at him intently. “Insoo doesn’t have any relatives, but you two, it can’t just be a coincidence.”

“Are you trying to imply I have a brother?” he questions calmly, not buying into the wolves lies one bit. The phrase a wolf in sheep’s clothing isn’t used for _nothing_ and Kyungsoo trusts his gut if anything. “You’re nothing but a good liar who is making up stories and using bits of truth you overheard.”

“Why would I lie about this?” Jongdae questions incredulously, shaking his head before glaring at him. “Do you know what it would mean if there were two of you? Another war, that’s what,” he huffs out, shaking his head again and tugging on his restraints before giving up.

“Because you’re a lunatic?” he fires back, not believing this is how he’s spending his birthday.  “My surname is _Bae_. I don’t have any relatives outside of this village. My mother died giving birth to me. The closest thing I have to a sibling tied you up into that chair and if you want to stay alive I would quit talking before you piss me off,” he snaps.

“Do you know who your father was?” Jongdae questions, unaffected by his rant and looking at him expectantly.

It hits a nerve that he probably didn’t know existed, but Kyungsoo still finds himself having to fight back to urge to really _allow_ himself to get angry. His temper can be a nasty thing that can make him self-destruct and he’s gone _years_ without an incident. He wants to keep it that way, so he takes a deep breath, biting his tongue until he tastes blood.

“Let me leave. _Now_ ,” he demands, no longer capable of asking politely and he’ll deal with the consequences later but right now he needs to be far away from the boy in the chair telling him his life may just be a big lie.

He doesn’t have any family, other than Joohyun. His aunt is dead, and his mother died way before her. It’s just him. No one else.

Kyungsoo feels the barrier get dropped and he immediately turns around, marching up to the door and grabing the handle.

“He has a necklace! He never takes it off,” Jongdae rushes out, making him go rigid, his breath catching in his throat. “There’s a dragon wrapped around a crescent moon. It’s silver, pure silver, I can’t touch it without being burned. He’s had it since he was born, he _never_ takes it off.”

Kyungsoo drops the door handle and automatically goes to grab at his necklace, where it’s hidden underneath his shirt where Jongdae couldn’t have possibly seen it. He always hides it underneath his shirt when he goes hunting so it doesn’t get caught on anything. Jongdae could have seen it, but it doesn’t seem likely. He doesn’t remember it coming into view.

The necklace Jongdae described is familiar, because it’s nearly identical to the one he wears. The one his mother gave him, the only thing he has proving he had a family. Except there isn’t a dragon wrapped around a moon. It’s the sun.

“Are you telling me, I have a brother?” he hears himself ask, his voice sounding foreign to him. He sounds quiet, lost, as he stares at Kim Jongdae who stares right back.

“Kyungsoo, if what he’s saying is true…,” Taeyeon speaks up softly, sounding worried.

“You have a twin,” Jongdae corrects.

It’s the last thing he hears before he turns around and walks out of the room.

 

\--

 

When Insoo wakes up, he’s sweating which is unusual for the winter because it’s always freezing cold. Even more unusual because he went to bed on a hard floor with a blanket no thicker than his summer clothes. He whines, feeling the fur beneath him gently rising up and down. He blinks open his eyes tiredly, looking around and waiting for his vision to adjust.

The sun is filtering in through the open windows and there’s a distant chatter out in the courtyard, probably people waking up and making accommodations to leave or stay and help after the fires last night. Insoo yawns, lifting himself off the source of heat and blinking slowly when he realizes what it is, rather, _who_ it is.

“Jongin?” he questions, watching as the wolf’s eyes open and he’s met with the deep amber color staring at him.

Jongin’s wolf yawns, standing up and stretching his limbs out before shaking himself. Insoo looks up at him in confusion, watching as he slowly treks out of the building and into the courtyard. Sighing he stands up, rubbing his shoulders that feel stiff before looking around.

All of the royal family are gone, which isn’t surprising since he’s always one of the last people up normally. He sniffs at his own clothing and coughs a little, the scent of burning wood still strong. He sighs as he walks out of the hall and outside, squinting as he looks around. When he fails to spot Jongin he shakes his head, looking back at where his room used to be and walking that direction.

He passes a couple of servants who are rushing to and from different places, baskets in their arms. He momentarily feels bad for them, because they don’t get a chance to just slow down and deal with anything. They have to just jump up and continue working. He frowns, shaking his head and trying not to think about it too much.

He looks around as he gets closer to the main family building and sees no one in sight. He doesn’t think twice about going through the doorway, looking around and seeing nothing but black and ash. It’s cold, parts of the walls missing in places they once were. He still finds his way to his room easily, walking through the doorway and gaping when he sees it’s completely burned.

The walls are charred and the one where the window used to be is completely missing. It doesn’t feel like his room anymore. He coughs at the strong smell, looking around and walking over towards where his dresser used to be. Nothing is there anymore but a pile of ash, making him sigh sadly. He tries not to get upset, knowing he should be happy he’s even alive after being locked in _and_ drugged.

He moves to leave when he spots something shining on the floor, making him pause. He reaches down and picks it up when he realizes it’s the necklace that was hidden behind the portrait Minseok gave him. It looks completely unscathed, just covered in ashes. He dusts it off before putting it over his head and letting it fall around his neck along with his other one. It’ll take some getting used to, but he has nowhere else to put it now that his room is gone.

He moves to leave when he hears something, making him pause. It’s a cracking noise that sounds like its coming from behind him. He frowns when it gets louder, turning around and flinching when he feels debris hit his face. He realizes that the cracking is coming _above_ him just as he looks up, about to scream when he feels someone grab him and he’s suddenly several feet away just as the roof falls down.

He stares with wide eyes, breathing heavy and barely having time to process what happened when he feels his arm being grabbed so he’s facing who saved him.

Of course, its Jongin.

“Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed?” Jongin all but shouts at him, making him flinch away from him.

“Of course, that’s _exactly_ what I’m trying to do!” he snaps, surprising himself at how angry he sounds.

He watches as Jongin frowns, eyeing him worriedly in silence. Insoo shakes his head, looking away and taking a deep breath, unsure what he’s really mad about. It’s times like this where he would go to his room and paint, but his room is nothing but a pile of ash and burnt wood now. He doesn’t have any place to go.

“This place isn’t really suitable to stay for the time being. The Byun’s have already said we could stay with them while we try and figure things out. We leave in thirty minutes,” Jongin informs him, shaking his head and letting out a loud sigh. “Go eat and stay in the courtyard where I can _see_ you.”

Insoo nods once before shoving the elder off of him and walks away from him as quick as he can. His mood is ruined, and it hasn’t even been long since he woke up. He doesn’t think it will get much better riding in a buggy, legs cramped and having to sit there quietly with absolutely nothing to do.

He arrives back at the courtyard and heads over to where he sees servants and dishes. He asks for a plate, not really caring what they’re serving before taking it and moving as far away from the royals nearby as possible. He sits underneath a nearby tree, hugging himself a bit to try and warm up before eating his bread roll.

He rests his chin on top of his knees as he eats, watching as Jongin walks into the clearing and is immediately greeted by Juran. The girl asks him a question to which Jongin gives her a reply, face impassive as he looks around. When he looks over and spots him, he immediately looks away, still mad at the elder for a lot of things.

When he’s done he gets up to go return his plate, heading over to the older servants who are having to wash them in buckets away from the clearing. He sees one of his favorites and immediately smiles at the familiar face. She’s older, probably one of the oldest working in the palace and has always treated him kindly. When she spots him, she gives him a warm smile before standing up and hugging him.

“I didn’t see you yesterday. Happy birthday,” she greets him, cupping his face and making him blush.

“Thank you,” he mumbles, awkwardly handing her the plate and choosing to sit next to her while she works. “I hope your hands aren’t too cold,” he comments, knowing the water must be freezing and the cold winds definitely won’t help. Eunah just waves her hand, dismissing the worry immediately.

“I’m more worried about you! I heard what happened last night!” she rushes out, looking at him worriedly before she starts looking him over. She opens her mouth before she pauses, her eyes staring below his chin. He blinks, looking down and seeing nothing but the necklace Minseok gave him.

“Minseok hyung gave it to me for my birthday. It’s pretty, isn’t it?” he comments, grabbing the pendant and showing it off to her with a smile.

“Where did he find that?” she questions seriously, making him pout a little as he shrugs.

“The old castle, in the garden. Do you know who it belonged to?” he questions, knowing Eunah used to serve the Do’s when she was just a girl. She would have known if it belonged to someone he was related to, at least, he hopes.

He’s more than surprised when she drops the plate in her hands and immediately stands up, grabbing his arm and telling him to hurry. He blinks back his surprise and looks back at the clearing, seeing Jongin busy with Juran he follows after her, stumbling a bit at her quick pace.

“Auntie? What’s wrong?” he questions, feeling nervous when she starts leading him too far away from the clearing.

“That necklace, it was your mothers,” she whispers, making him immediately stop dead in his spot.

“My mother?” he questions, finally pulling free from her grip and looking at her in shock. “You knew my mother?”

“Shh,” she shushes him, looking around and listening before she deems it okay to talk again. He moves closer, feeling his heartbeat in his ears at her revelation. “That necklace was given to her by your father. She never took it off. She didn’t give birth to you in the castle. She was long gone by then, put up in a safe house.”

“You knew my father?” he questions, only being able to focus on those two things. He’s never met anyone, at least, never heard anyone talk about _both_ his parents. He barely knows a thing about either of them.

“You need to leave, as soon as the stars are out you need to follow the map and go there,” she says cryptically, making him open his mouth to question her but he hears leaves rusting and turns around instead.

They both turn to see Minseok, the elder spotting them and frowning a bit. He knows he shouldn’t be alone with a girl, but Eunah is, well _old_ , he doesn’t think he’ll get in trouble for it. Minseok probably isn’t in a position to rat on him either, but he still frowns. Minseok clears his throat and crosses his arms as he stares at them before looking him in the eyes.

“Prince Jongin said we’re about to leave. You and I are sharing a buggy,” he states plainly, looking a little embarrassed before motioning for him to come over.

Insoo nods his head, biting his lip and sparing Eunah a glance but she just smiles and says happy birthday to him again before leaving and going back to where the other servants are. He smiles a little at Minseok before heading over towards him, feeling awkward as he follows after him back into the clearing where the royal families are all together and buggies are lining up.

He and Minseok are of course put in a buggy towards the end of the line. It’s a smaller one and not as extravagant as the others. There’s no choice but to sit next to one another, making him self-conscious since he’s still in the clothes he wore last night. He’ll have to see if Jongin is willing to let him pick out new ones at whatever town they stop at.

He messes with his necklace out of habit, looking out the small window and thinking back to what Eunah said about knowing his parents. In all the years she’s known him she’s never mentioned them before. He wants to talk to her and ask her questions, so many questions, about his parents. He doesn’t even know what his mother’s name was, he knows nothing about her and he’s imagined countless times what it would have been like if things were different.

He would have a family, a kingdom, _everything_. Instead he’s just a ward of King Kim that won’t ever truly know what it feels like to be someone’s son.

He doesn’t know how far they’ve gotten when he feels Minseok start to shift around, the small space making him hyper aware of the boy next to him.

“About last night,” Minseok speaks up, only making his already bad mood worse.

He turns his head, refusing to look at the elder as he crosses his arms. “I thought you said you were leaving in the morning,” he states plainly, managing to cut off whatever apology the elder was about to give him.

He knows Minseok didn’t mean any harm by anything, he never does, but he has to hold onto what little pride he has, and he’s _embarrassed_. He’s used to being tossed aside and ignored, overlooked, but being _rejected_ is the worst. It’s only a reminder that he doesn’t belong here, he’s not good enough, he never will be. Not for any of the Kim’s, and it’s because of something he can’t even control.

“My father told me to stay, until you all make it to the Byun’s. Sorry,” Minseok replies quietly, momentarily making him feel bad, because he can never really stay mad at the elder.

He turns to apologize when Minseok shushes him, making him glare and open his mouth to tell him off when Minseok reaches over and clamps a hand over his mouth. He blinks stupidly when Minseok holds a hand up to his lips, looking deadly serious as he sits there and listens. It’s then that Insoo notices that the buggy isn’t moving, hasn’t been for a while.

“Hyung?” he whispers when Minseok drops his hand and starts to lowly whine, his face scrunching up and looking pale.

He reaches out for him but that’s the exact moment there’s a loud bang and the buggystarts to shake, making him fall onto the floor and hit his head. He winces, watching as Minseok rushes to open the door, hurling onto the floor before he stumbles out.

Once he’s gathered his bearings he gets out of the carriage too, looking around and realizing that somehow, they were lead away from the rest of the pack, the other royals, they’re all alone in the middle of the dirt road.

“Minseok?” he questions, moving forward but someone grabs him and clamps a hand over his mouth, muffling his initial reaction to scream.

He kicks, knowing he should at least put up a fight but whoever has grabbed him is strong. Minseok can’t even help him, incapacitated on the ground and whining lowly and looking like he’s trying his hardest not to shift, his body twitching uncontrollably. He looks around before a cloth goes over his eyes and makes his vision go black. He tries to scream again before he feels other hands on his temples, making him go limp and become compliant.

It feels _wrong_ and his body and mind are contradicting one another as he finds himself holding his wrists out and closing his mouth despite his mind screaming at him not to. It’s magic, something that’s _banned_ from the Kim’s kingdom other than for healing purposes. It’s strong too. Strong enough that he closes his eyes for a second only to open them and he’s suddenly in a room.

He’s on a bed, lying down and staring up at the ceiling. His hands aren’t tied, and he isn’t gagged. He feels heavy, like a night full of drinking occurred the previous day but with no queasiness in his stomach. He’s been asleep and he’s not sure for how long.

He sits up slowly, looking around and rubbing his eyes as he takes in the room. It’s small and he flushes when he looks down and realizes he’s not wearing the clothes he was wearing before. He brings his knees up to his chest, scared and for once wishing Jongin would walk into the room and tell him to hurry up and come to breakfast, that everything has just been a bad dream.

But this isn’t his room, these aren’t his clothes, and this is not the Kim’s castle.

He moves to get out of bed, looking around in confusion and going still when the door opens and in walks a woman, long hair tied in a bun and her clothes plain and worn, like she works in the fields.

“The sun is just about to set, so you should leave soon,” the woman informs him, walking in with a satchel and a pair of shoes along with a plate of food.

He flinches and moves away from her when she approaches him, never actually been alone with a girl that wasn’t old enough to be his grandmother. She’s pretty, a little too pretty that he can’t stare at her for too long. He glances at the wall and backs up as far as he can, confused and just wanting Jongin.

“Who are you?” he questions hesitantly, trying to remain calm because if anything, he’s an adult now and adults don’t start crying hysterically.

“Not really important. Eunah said to make sure you had plenty of food and money, it’s all here. Use it wisely.”

“Eunah did all of this?” he questions, feeling himself get mad but not having the energy to act on it. He’s still so tired.

“You really know nothing?” she questions him, eyeing him with a frown on her lips. “I can’t believe you willingly just lived with a family that murdered yours, but still, I thought you would at least know what last night meant.”

Insoo frowns, eyeing the woman skeptically because he has no idea what she’s _talking_ about. He knows all about the war, how it started when his grandfather went mad and ended with his father and uncles dying in battle. King Kim found him, took him in because no one else would. He’s heard it countless times and he’s always been a little thankful, if anything that King Kim found him. The Kim’s didn't murder his family, he would know if they did.

“You really don’t know,” she whispers, giving him a sympathetic look before shaking her head. “What lies did they feed you?” she questions seriously, setting the things down on the bed before she sits down as well.

“Why did Eunah do all of this?” he questions instead, worrying about actually being alone with a woman he’s never met. He’s used to socializing, but not with women. King Kim hates it when he talks to the opposite gender. Not to mention he has no idea where he is, if he should trust her, and if Minseok is okay.

“She’s an old friend, from when we used to work in the Do’s castle. She served your grandfather and then your father and then your mother.”

“Did _you_ know my mother?” he finds himself questioning, seeing the plate of food sitting on the dresser near the bed he slowly moves towards it, his stomach grumbling loudly. He flushes, picks up a roll and inspects it before he takes a bite.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t. Eunah didn’t explain, I didn’t ask. Just received instructions that once you were awake to make sure you were sent off prepared. Do you know how your father died?” she questions, making him stop chewing, feeling a little uneasy.

He shakes his head, not knowing anything other than what little has been spilled to him on accident. His father was the third prince but became the heir shortly after his brothers were killed. His grandfather started the war, Jongin’s father ended it. His father’s hair was wine red and his dragon a deep burgundy with bright orange eyes that could control lava. He died in battle, he tells her all he knows.

She stays quiet the entire time, taking everything in. When he runs out of things to say he looks up at her and waits. She smiles, one that doesn’t reach her eyes, a sympathetic smile that makes him feel like he’s said the wrong thing.

“If you make it to the Do’s old kingdom, they’ll know you’re from the North,” she laughs out lightly, shaking her head and sighing.

“I _am_ from the North,” he mumbles, having grown up in the palace and been taught northern traditions.

“Your blood is southern,” she comments, shaking her head and fixing a stray hair that’s fallen from her bun. “That’s not the story they tell in the south, before you get there you should learn.”

“What stories do they tell in the south then?” he questions, eating some of the porridge and then looking at her.

She smiles, coy and sharp as she tilts her head at him. “The truth.”

 

\--

 

When Kyungsoo was ten there was an incident, one he doesn’t like to think about and does his best to prevent from happening again. He wasn’t as confident back then, not as stern and definitely not as well equipped to deal with the girls and their teasing. It was a common occurrence, being the only male in the village made him an easy target.

Someone had taken it too far that day and he was tired, nightmares from the night before still on his mind. He had been bathing and somehow, one of the girls had gotten ahold of his necklace. He had been furious, because he almost always never takes it off and it’s the one thing to remind him that at some point in his life, he had a mom at least.

It’s his most prized possession and losing it, being _taunted_ by the other girls and unable to get it back, had made him furious. He doesn’t think he’s ever been as mad as he was then, when he really learned that the term seeing red was literal. At least for him it was.

The ground shook and it was like he made it happen, somehow that anger had been manifested into an earthquake that took down several of the houses in the village and terrified the girls so badly they never teased him again.

He hasn’t taken his necklace off since. He refuses to.

Kyungsoo runs his thumb over the metal, thinking back to what Kim Jongdae said. A dragon resting on a crescent moon. It’s similar enough that it scares him, that he’s telling the truth and there really is someone out there that’s _really_ family. His brother. A _twin_.

He looks down and lifts the pendant on his own chain to see a dragon resting around a sun. He’s always found it fitting, because he loves nothing more than to watch the sunrise, sometimes if he isn’t tired by then, the sunset. He likes to think his mother knew him well, even if it was just while she was carrying him.

He knows she grew up here, in the village, in the house he lives in now. She was a twin, but her sister died at birth, still born. She left the village when she was sixteen and somewhere along the way fell in love and got married and had him. She died during childbirth and he was brought back here, to live with her sister, which was Joohyun’s mother.

He took her last name, because he never knew what his fathers was, _who_ his father was. He still doesn’t. He didn’t grow up learning about the neighboring kingdoms or politics. He grew up learning to fight and to hunt, war strategies engraved in his mind because it’s all about survival here. A village full of women warriors isn’t concerned with the three Kingdom’s dramatics. They take care of their own and make sure no one tries to disrupt their life.

The elders know more, because they need to know more but it’s nothing he has to concern himself with. He knows nothing about Kim’s and less about Do’s, so he’s angry because apparently someone did but she’s long dead.

He sighs as he looks up at the moon, the day ending and there’s still a feast going on, but he wants no part in it, even if it is for him. He doesn’t feel like celebrating anything, not even watching the distant fireworks.

He stays up later than he normally would, eyes burning as he fights the urge to just sleep. Instead he finds himself throwing clothes into a bag, grabbing his bow and dagger before he makes his way through camp and towards the healing hut. It’s quiet and there’s no one there anymore when he enters.

Kim Jongdae’s head snaps up as he walks towards him, eyeing him warily and looking confused when he kneels down and starts to undo the rope where his ankles are.

“What are you doing?” Jongdae questions, eyes going wide when he pulls out the dagger.

“ _Please_ , if I wanted to kill you I would go for your jugular, not your ankle, _princess_ ,” he mutters, shaking his head and cutting the rope on the left ankle before going for the right.

“It’s _your highness_ , god, you’re worse than he is,” Jongdae mutters to himself, frowning and eyeing him when he cuts the rope to his wrists. “Why are you setting me free?”

“I’m not. You are going to take me where I want, to make up for the fact that you tried to _kill_ me,” Kyungsoo informs him, sheathing his dagger and tossing an extra pair of clothes at the elder, because apparently Jongdae is older than him from what he overheard earlier.

“Where exactly is that?” Jongdae questions, dropping the cloth he originally was given and tugging the pants up before tugging on the shirt and tying it in the right places.

“My brother,” he replies plainly, thinking it should be obvious.

Jongdae frowns, looking at him before shaking his head. “That’s not a good idea. You’re a threat,” he stresses, making him start to think that he really _is_ mental, and this is all just one big joke.

“I’m the threat when _you_ attacked me?” he questions incredulously, cornering the elder and staring him down, still pissed off about the bruise he has on the side of his head.

“I don’t remember that, but to answer your questions, _yes_. You’re a Do, do you really know nothing?” Jongdae questions him quietly, not sounding condescending but actually concerned.

It makes him keep quiet, face impassive as he stares at the other male, waiting for an explanation.

“The war, you know that at least, don’t you?”

Kyungsoo nods his head, knowing that much. His father died in the war, he’s just not sure which one and between who. It’s why supposedly no one knew anything about him. Kyungsoo always assumed he was a soldier that didn’t make it.

“It was between my family and yours…mine won,” Jongdae says carefully, looking away and clearing his throat a bit. “I was just a baby, so I don’t know, but it’s said that your grandfather started it. My uncle ended it. Insoo, he took him in, as our ward.”

Kyungsoo feels his hands start to twitch, “Your family likes to kidnap babies?” he questions hotly, which makes Jongdae go rigid, immediately on edge which indicates he’s at least smart enough to know that he _is_ a threat.

“He isn’t a prisoner! We treat him well,” Jongdae snaps, growling lightly in the back of his throat which reminds him that despite everything, the Kim is still a threat to him too. “The war lasted ten years. It’s the twentieth anniversary, Insoo, _you_ , were born the day it ended.”

Kyungsoo frowns, biting his lower lip as he thinks. It explains why there’s always fireworks on his birthday from the distant villages. They’re loyal to the Byun’s, he thinks. He’s not good with remembering who is where. He knows the terrain, where people are and where the threats are, that’s all that’s ever mattered.

“Anything else you tell me is going to be useless,” he speaks up, cutting Jongdae off which he must not be used to, because he looks insulted he would speak over him.

“Why is that?” Jongdae questions hotly, looking irritated as his nose twitches.

Kyungsoo tilts his head and eyes the other boy, assessing him so he knows where to aim if he ever tries anything.

“When it comes to wars, it’s the victor that controls the narrative,” he says easily, turning when Jongdae looks towards the door.

He raises a brow when Seulgi walks in and Jongdae twitches backwards, looking uncomfortable.

“Planning on taking a trip?” she questions, frowning as she walks up to him and eyes the bag he has sitting on the table.

“Planning on tagging along?” he questions back, noting that she has a bag strapped across her chest.

“Can’t let you go out there and die,” she replies easily, eyeing Jongdae briefly and smiling. “He’s afraid of women. Taeyeon unnie said so at dinner earlier.”

That amuses him, turning so he’s facing Jongdae who is glaring at her, his jaw set tight as he grinds his teeth. It must be a strike to his ego when he actually laughs, because the elder starts to _growl_ at him.

“It’s not allowed,” Jongdae grinds out, brows furrowing as he starts to look embarrassed. It must be a new feeling for him, considering he probably grew up in a posh palace, no one daring to talk back to him. He’s in for a rude awakening being in the real world.  

“What’s not allowed?” he questions if only to humor himself, moving away from the elder and going to help Seulgi who is now looking through Taeyeon’s shelves and grabbing things he assumes they might need.

“Bastards,” Jongdae comments, moving away from the wall and moving to sit back down.

“The women here will _kill_ you before they fuck you,” Kyungsoo snorts out, shaking his head and going towards the door to make sure there aren’t people walking around. He’s sure even the night guards aren’t close to making the rounds near here, but he wants to be careful.

“You can’t feel it because it’s blocked off. It’s a spell, no shifting into that wolf until I say so, your _highness_ ,” Seulgi speaks up, turning to look at Jongdae who snaps his head up, eyes widening at her comment. “I normally don’t intrude on people’s thoughts, but you’re a threat and I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you. You even so much as think about hurting him, I’ll kill you before you can even blink,” she threatens, smiling at him before turning back around.

Jongdae scowls, looking away and crossing his arms over his chest. Kyungsoo eyes him before he turns to look at Seulgi who is stuffing several potions into her bag. She’s a valuable asset and he would be stupid to not let her come, but he still can’t help but worry if he really should be doing this, not knowing what sort of threats they’ll be facing. Like Jongdae implied, he really doesn’t know anything.

“Can you really control lightning?” Seulgi questions, surprising him as he looks over towards Jongdae who seems like he’s given up and is going to comply, against his will but nonetheless comply.

“Undo the spell and I’ll show you,” Jongdae grumbles, standing up and marching up to him. “What’s your plan? Go to the palace and then what? The second my uncle realizes there’s two of you he’s going to kill him and then you.”

Kyungsoo eyes him, face impassive as he tilts his head. “You haven’t realized it yet?” he questions, not wavering when Jongdae gets too close for comfort. “You’re the _bait_ , your highness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long wait :< and this chapter isn't really as long as i wanted but i didn't want to keep adding when the stuff that comes next is a bit of its own chapter story line


	4. 03

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fire & magic

Traveling alone and in the dark, is just a bit terrifying. Insoo doesn’t even remember being allowed to wander around at night. Although that never really stopped him from going on the roof, at least he was close enough to his room if anyone realized he was missing. Traveling alone and following a tiny map in a tiny locket while simultaneously trying to find the right stars when its cloudy out, is _impossible_.

He’s tired and his feet hurt and he really wants to bathe and just sleep and pretend this is all just one big dream. He wants to go back to the reality where he was content being a ward of the Kim’s, where he didn’t know the truth about how his father died, how his uncles died, how the war _really_ started.

He doesn’t have time to dwell on it too long, trying instead to put his focus into getting where he needs to go. He’s not sure if he should have even really trusted the woman, but Eunah never seemed anything but caring and it didn’t take much to convince him that King Kim didn’t exactly have the best interests in mind for him.

The King never made it a point to try and hide the fact that no matter what, he was still the enemy. It’s why he wasn’t allowed to train past the basics and if he looked like he was picking something up too quickly, he had to stop. Not to mention, he was never allowed to travel to anything close to the border of what used to be the Do’s old kingdom. He’s not sure how many people are truly aware of his presence, but the moment they found out it could cause unrest in the border towns.

Some of them still haven’t transitioned fully and he would only give them more of a reason to resist the change of leadership. At least, that’s what Minseok had told him when he asked about it when he was a bit younger.

It has him pausing to take a break, leaning against a tree and fiddling with his original necklace. He’s worried about Minseok, unsure if he’s really okay since the woman before didn’t have any idea what happened to him. He has to at least assume the best and that Minseok is fine, just probably in trouble to begin with for not really doing a good job as his guard.

Although it’s not really his fault either, because none of the Kim’s managed to realize they were missing and he’s sure magic had a lot to do with it. It’s banned in the Kim’s kingdom, meaning they have little to no exposure to it. The people that ambushed them used it to their advantage and he truly thinks that’s the only reason he hasn’t been found yet.

He’s conflicted about it though, not used to being so utterly _alone_ and missing Jongin, even his annoying comments. At the same time, Jongin’s lied to him his entire life and there’s something brewing in his gut because of it. He wouldn’t call it anger, but it’s close. Betrayal seems too far, but it’s the only word he finds that fits.

The moon is brightly shining tonight but for once he’s tired, just wanting to sleep. His eyes feel heavy but he knows it’s not safe to just take a nap in the middle of the woods, so he gets up. He tugs his coat tighter around his body, wishing he had warmer clothes and knowing that’s the first thing he’s going to buy when he makes it to a town.

He isn’t exactly the best at geography, but if he at least finds out where he is he may have a clue as to where he should head. Hopefully at least, he’s not entirely sure the so-called map is taking him anywhere. He’ll have to find an actual map in town as well, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later, so he isn’t walking around aimlessly.

He just isn’t sure where the nearest town even is and how long it will take to get there. It’s frustrating enough that he wants to cry, but he knows it won’t do any good. So, he takes a deep breath and gets back to his feet, deciding that finding some place to stay is more important he stops trying to make sense over a bunch of dots and stars he can’t make out and focuses on trying to see if there’s smoke anywhere.

Smoke means fire, which means an inn or a cottage, maybe even a town. He wanders for an hour before he gives up, finding a secluded spot by a tree and curling in on himself. He brings his knees up to his chest and rests his forehead on top of them, hugging onto his legs as he tries to stay warm.

For once he hates the cold.

 

\--

 

Seulgi watches with interest as Kim Jongdae refuses to look anywhere near her direction. It’s amusing and while she doesn’t like to pry into people’s consciousness, she can’t help but try and pick his brain apart. It’s in their best interest at least, she has to make sure he isn’t plotting on leaving or worse, trying to actually attack either of them.

She learns that he’s an erratic thinker but calm and collected on the outside. He keeps retracing the steps he took before he was bewitched. He went to bed, asked his servant for a glass of water and then it goes blank until he wakes up in Taeyeon’s hut. He keeps replaying it in his head when he isn’t thinking Kyungsoo is _annoying_ and too much like one of his cousins.

“What’s Insoo like?” she questions, since she’s been waiting for his train of thought to go to Kyungsoo’s supposed twin for a while, but he’s just thinking the previous night over and over again.

Jongdae scowls in her direction, refusing to answer and crossing his arms over his chest. It’s childish and she rolls her eyes, looking to Kyungsoo who is walking ahead of them. He said they should put as much distance between them and the village as possible before they find some place to rest.

She wishes she could have convinced him to let them take a horse or two but it’s safer to travel on foot if you don’t want to get caught. Kyungsoo is good at not getting caught, if anything, so she trusts him. It’s not the first time they’ve snuck out of the village either, so she trusts Kyungsoo knows what he’s doing.

“Are you really that stuck up you can’t answer her?” she hears Kyungsoo question, watching as the elder turns around and continues to walk backwards, eyeing Jongdae before rolling his eyes, sharing a look with her and then turning back around.

“ _Yes_ ,” Jongdae bites out, growling lowly in his throat again and letting out a frustrated groan as he’s still unable to communicate with his counterpart.

It’s interesting to watch him try, glad she learned enough from Taeyeon in the little time she was given. She didn’t realize there was a whole other subconscious when it came to his wolf form. Jongdae is probably unsettled without it, but she tries not to think too much about it, feeling conflicted.

“When I get back home I’m banning all you blonde _evil_ little witches,” Jongdae bites out before he falls flat on his face.

Seulgi bites back a smile when Kyungsoo turns around to see what the commotion is, giving her a knowing look.

“Who knew royalty were so clumsy?” she questions, shrugging and offering Jongdae a hand but getting glared at. He slaps it away, getting up on his own and glowering as he dusts himself off.

“Don’t _touch_ me,” Jongdae snaps at her, glaring before he decides walking near Kyungsoo is better off and stands near the other male instead.

Kyungsoo seems indifferent about it, eyeing the other boy before he lets out a sigh, looking up at the stars before looking back at them. Seulgi already knows he wants to stop and rest for a while, but the further they are from the village the more likely they are to lose the hunting team that will more than likely be sent off to find them.

They walk for about another hour before the smell of fire burning starts to fill her nostrils, meaning they’re near an inn. Kyungsoo seems to know where he’s going but she pauses when she realizes _exactly_ where they’re at. She frowns, knowing that the place will technically give them a room, no questions asked, as long as they have enough to pay for it, but it’s not the best place to spend a night.

“Kyungsoo, is this a good idea?” she questions hesitantly, never actually been to a brothel before to know what to expect.

“Would you rather sleep on the floor?” he questions, turning around and giving her a look. “I wouldn’t and we’re about three hours away from the village. It’s that or we keep walking,” he states diplomatically.

She sighs, nodding her head and following them closely as they make their way to the front entrance. The inside is loud despite the time and has a musky smell she immediately dislikes. From one glance at the Kim, she knows he’s confused without even reading his mind. It seems he really was sheltered off from women.

He sticks close to Kyungsoo despite obviously not liking him all too much, his obvious discomfort from all the smells of the place overriding his logic. She sticks close too, knowing being a girl without a man next to her in this kind of place will just lead to uncomfortable situations.

She watches closely as Kyungsoo tries to charm his way into getting a room and not any other _services_ they provide. The lady doesn’t look willing to budge until he says something and then motions to her, making her start to flush at the look the lady sends her way. She doesn’t even _want_ to know what was said that has her giving Kyungsoo a key and then going back to attending another guest at the bar.

They walk towards a hallway that leads to another one, the noises either alerting Jongdae of what _kind_ of establishment they’re at or confirming his suspicions. She chooses not to prod into his thoughts, uncomfortable enough at a particularly vocal couple room they pass on the way to their own.

“I am _not_ touching that bed,” Jongdae grits out once they’re in their room and looking everything over. He’s mad, face turning red when there’s a bump on the wall from someone next door.

“Funny you think I would even let you have the bed, _princess_ ,” Kyungsoo replies plainly, giving the other male a glare, which makes her roll her eyes.

She shakes her head as she takes off her outermost layer at the warmth in the room and sets it on the small chair on the side of the room before moving to sit down, feet hurting from the amount of walking they’ve done tonight.

“I’m _royalty_ , I don’t belong in a trashy place like this!” Jongdae protests loudly, throwing his hands up before pulling at his own hair.

“I think it suits you just fine,” Kyungsoo comments, shrugging and sitting down on the bed just in time for Jongdae to lunge at him and take him down to the floor where they wrestle with one another angrily.

She frowns, watching as the two roll around and knock into the small dresser near the bed. _Men_ , she thinks bitterly, going and sitting on the bed herself as Kyungsoo easily starts overpowering Jongdae, pinning him to the ground with minimal effort when he gets tired of letting him get his energy out.

“Get off of me, you stupid bastard orphan!” Jongdae barks, continuing to struggle but without much other than his own strength, he doesn’t really stand a chance.

Kyungsoo is someone who was born ready for battle, whether it be with a sword of his own two hands. Everyone in the village has a sword in their hands by the time they’re ten. She may not be the best out of the girls her age, but she certainly wouldn’t let a man Jongdae’s size overpower her.

Kyungsoo has always been one of the best, regardless if it’s a sword or a bow. Seulgi can only feel bad for the royal at this point, wincing when the elder manages to get Jongdae face down with his hands behind his back.

“Listen here you _mutt_ , the only reason you’re still alive is because of your name. Piss me off one more time and I don’t care if I start a war, I’ll kill you,” Kyungsoo states sternly, pushing Jongdae’s face into the dirt with probably more force than necessary at this point.

“You’re hurting him,” she speaks up, frowning and wincing just taking a glimpse into Jongdae’s mind right now. He feels pathetic and she can’t blame him.

“Good,” Kyungsoo grumbles, letting go of him and getting off his back, still glaring at him as he heads towards the door. “I’m getting something to eat,” he comments lowly before leaving the room, slamming the door on the way out.

She looks down at the Kim, watching as he slowly moves to sit up, looking miserable and like he just might cry. She feels bad, seeing how red his neck is she moves off the bed and sits in front of him. He gives her a glare but there’s no real heat behind it, considering how wounded his pride is at the moment.

“Don’t call him that ever again,” she mutters quietly, hesitantly reaching out and watching as Jongdae flinches away from her again, eyeing her warily. “Your neck will probably be bruised if you don’t let me try and heal you,” she explains.

Jongdae stares at her for a long time before he nods his head, letting her reach out and place a hand close enough to the area.

“Insoo is nothing like him,” Jongdae mutters, biting his lip and looking away, obviously not comfortable being alone with her.

She closes her eyes and lets herself into his mind, wanting to know more but all Jongdae is thinking about is his mother. He misses her. He’s worried about her. She bites her lip as she pulls away, feeling guilty for invading his thoughts when they’re too personal. She doesn’t even remember what her own mother looked like.

“You should get some rest,” she comments before getting up and heading towards the bed, grabbing a pillow and tossing it at him.

Jongdae tells her thank you and she pretends she doesn’t hear it.

 

\--

 

Days are always the same in the palace for Jongdae. He wakes up and has his servants attend to him before he goes and has breakfast in the royal hall. He gives his mother a good morning kiss, says hello to his father and then bows to the royal family. He eats and makes conversation with his cousins, then heads to change into his sparing clothes.

When it’s closer to the full moon he goes running in his wolf form, near the rivers past the woods surrounding the palace. If he’s completely bored and tired of training, he’ll bug Insoo who will either be painting or trailing after Minseok if he happens to be home. Insoo doesn’t have much to do around the castle and sometimes Jongdae feels bad for him, keeping him company when he lets himself care.

The day of the anniversary, Insoo’s birthday, he didn’t see him at all. He can’t recall anything from that morning which is worrisome. His days are so mundane that anything out of the ordinary would stick out to him. He can’t remember anything from that day though. He just remembers the night before.

He was tired and had just finished deciding he would just tell Insoo happy birthday this year and then ask if he wanted to go hunting in the woods, something his uncle forbid Insoo from doing. He wouldn’t find out though, with the festivities and a full moon to top it off. He asked his servant for a glass of water, drank it, and then he was asleep.

The next thing he remembers is the pain shooting through his arm and then blackness. Then he was awake, tied to a chair and staring at a woman with blonde hair, the mark of a _witch_. Witchcraft is banned in their Kingdom, people that practice are brought to Lycaon and then before the King. He almost always has them executed.

He knew he was far from home to see not only one blonde, but then _another_. A whole village of women isn’t something he can recall from his formal teachings. He has no idea where they are but the accents tell him he’s close enough to the Jung’s territory.

They still speak _Drakonian_ in the Jung’s kingdom as well as the common tongue. Their accents are sharp and thick though, something he only hears when diplomats come to the palace. Most of the women had the same thick and sharp accents. Kyungsoo has the same accent.

He tosses as he tries to get comfortable on the floor, looking up at the bed and frowning in distaste seeing Kyungsoo and the girl sharing a blanket. It’s taboo and he’s going to have to make it very clear to his uncle that he never let anyone of the opposite gender touch him with his consent. He doesn’t want to end up like Minseok.

He feels his nose twitch when he smells something smoky, knowing his senses aren’t as heightened now that he has no contact with his wolf. He sits up when he sees smoke start to come into the room from the cracks under the door, alarming him into getting up from the floor.

He goes towards the door and reaches for the handle only to pull away with a loud yelp, his hand burning. His yell must wake up the girl because she’s immediately asking him what’s wrong before she smells the smoke too.

“There’s a fire,” he explains, looking around and paling when he doesn’t see a window in the room. “Get him up before we suffocate to death,” he snaps, trying to think of a plan.

The hallway is more than likely on fire but their only way out of the place. They’ll have to get out there before they can find an escape route. There’s bound to be a room with a window somewhere on the floor they’re on. They’ll have to jump, luckily it won’t be a big leap but getting there is what is going to be hard.

“Any day now,” he comments irritably, turning around and immediately frowning when Seulgi is shaking Kyungsoo, attempting to wake him up the younger male just whines and curls up on himself, making his eye twitch.

“We don’t have time for this! Wake him up!” he snaps, stomping over towards him and quickly realizing something is not quite right with the younger male.

“He’s freezing,” Seulgi stresses, shaking her head and worriedly trying to use whatever magic abilities she has to get him up and ready to leave. “His head is a mess, I can’t make anything out,” she rushes out. “I think someone put something in his food, but, I don’t know,” she adds on, wincing before removing her hands.

Jongdae groans, walking quickly to the bed and instructing Seulgi to get Kyungsoo on his back. He may not know the other male _that_ much and he might just hate his guts, but he knows Insoo. He knows how lonely the Do Prince is and this is the only family he has. Jongdae never knew his brother, if the roles were reversed, Insoo would make sure he could meet him.

“Are you sure you can carry him?” Seulgi questions, looking worriedly at him and if she can really read his mind, he hopes she knows how annoyed he is.

“Let me shift and I’ll be able to carry him a whole lot easier,” he snaps, praying he doesn’t burn in a fire. That’s not how he wants to go out. He certainly doesn’t want his father finding his burned corpse in a _brothel_.

“If you hurt him,” Seulgi threatens, but she’s already reaching out her hands growing a faint green as she mutters something in another language he’s never heard before.

He _feels_ it when it goes into effect, his wolf practically howling in delight and then he shifts, not being able to control it. His senses sharpen, and he distinctly hears all the crackling from the fire, the people outside screaming to put it out, the group of people deep in the woods.

_Get on and hurry up_ , he thinks, watching as Seulgi flinches but does as she’s told, holding onto Kyungsoo and then awkwardly maneuvering them on top of his back. He doesn’t appreciate having to carry people around like a mare, but that’s the least of his worries at the moment. Right now, he just needs to get them out of there.

With a deep breath he sprints and breaks through the door, deciding he’s never going into a brothel ever again. He stays as low as he can and finds somewhere to break through the fire without damaging the people on his back. He’ll heal in no time, but he’s not sure how advanced of a witch the girl is.

He does his best to get through without harming any of them but he feels his fur burn down to the skin in several spots, whimpering as he finally finds an opening. He takes it and goes as quick as he can, making sure to head straight into the woods in the opposite direction he hears the small group of people.

He keeps going until he hears nothing but the natural sounds of the woods and Seulgi starts coughing. He stops and lies down so she can get off of him, which she does and then she stumbles. She probably inhaled too much smoke because she coughs for several minutes before she realizes she needs to tend to Kyungsoo who slept through the whole ordeal.

Jongdae sits next to Kyungsoo, sniffing at him and immediately knowing something is wrong too. He looks as Seulgi inspects him for damage, growing confused when there’s not a single burn mark on him. He looks relatively unharmed, minus some cuts and burns on his clothes.

Suspicious Jongdae gets closer and tries to get a good scent from him, growing even more confused when he realizes the only scent he’s picking up is coming from his neck. He looks over at Seulgi whose hands are still glowing a faint green before she lets out a sigh as she starts coughing again.

“I think he’ll be fine. I took as much of the stuff out of his system, but I can’t do it all,” she says quietly, starting to focus more on herself where she has a large burn on her arm.

Jongdae looks around and groans when he realizes he has nothing to change into if he shifts back. He’ll have to get Kyungsoo to find him some clothes when he wakes up.

“Tell me everything there is to know about the Do’s, because his body isn’t reacting normally to any of this,” Seulgi speaks up, giving him a worried look as he bites her lip and holds back a whimper as she heals herself up. “It’s a common sleeping drug they slipped in his food, but his body isn’t reacting normally to it.”

If Jongdae were in his human form, he would be frowning. He lets out a puff of air before moving to sit near the girl. Insoo doesn’t react normally to certain medicines either. When he gets sick the palace physician has to make him specific medicines. The only reason he's been able to think of, he hasn't told anyone else, too scared of what they'll say.

He looks up at her and lets out a growl, not even knowing where to start.

\--

 

Insoo munches silently on his bread roll, looking around the market carefully. He knows he has enough money for a map and some supplies, but he really needs a horse. He should be far enough from the palace to be safe to use a horse now. It’ll definitely be quicker and easier on his feet.

He adjusts his hood and walks over towards a stand, biting his lip and putting a worried expression on his face. He even forces himself to start tearing up, knowing his baby face will definitely help him in this situation. She’ll probably think he’s just a young boy and her husband will be inclined to help him out if she says so.

“Are you alright, sweetheart?” he hears the woman running the stand question, making him look up and hold back a sob.

“I lost my brother,” he chokes out, inching in on himself. “I was traveling to _Ladon_ with him, but we got separated. He’s probably worried and I don’t know where I am,” he cries, covering his face with his hands and not daring to peek out when he hears shuffling.

When he feels the woman pull him into a hug he cries harder, letting her comfort him. He adds more to the story about how his mother passed away and it was her last wish for them to go see their grandmother. She looks close to tears before she goes and grabs something from the stand making him sober up a little when she pulls out a map, showing him where he’s at and telling him it’s alright. He sniffles, making sure to keep a smile off his face as she explains it too him, but he's already starting to calculate in his head.

“So, I should just follow this path and I should find him?” he questions, playing the part and scratching his head and staring long and hard at the map.

“All the paths will take you to a town until you reach the border. If your brother hasn’t found you by then, I would be surprised. The journey towards the East kingdom is long and of course, the woods are known to be cursed. Most stick to the gravel paths,” she informs him, so he nods and wipes his nose with his sleeve.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to remember all that,” he says miserably, which has her giving him a sympathetic look.

“You keep it,” she tells him, her husband choking on his morning drink as he stands nearby.

“That’s worth five silver pieces!” he protests, only shutting up when she gives him a scolding look. “You can’t just give things away for free!” he adds on, but she only glares harder at him.

“Would you like to sleep alone tonight?” she questions him, which has the older males cheeks heating up as he starts to glare and grumble before turning back around and heading to go help a real customer.

“You take it, a couple of silver pieces won’t be missed here,” she tells him, pushing the map towards him and giving him a gentle smile.

“Thank you, ma’am, are you sure it’s no trouble?” he questions, biting his lip and having the woman insist that he take the map, for free. She even offers him some apples and a couple of rolls of bread for his travels before shooing him away.

Insoo gives her his deepest bows and tells her thank you until he’s out of sight and heading towards a stable. He takes a bite out of his apple and reaches into his coat, counting at least ten gold pieces, which should last him until he gets to where he needs to be. He’s not sure how long he’ll be traveling, and he needs to save as much money as possible though, so a little lying won't hurt.

He heads towards the end of the road and makes sure the woman from before isn’t watching him as he goes into the stable. He looks around at the horses and spots a pure black quarter horse in the corner. He perks up and heads over towards it, reaching a hand out and smiling when she lets him pet her.

“How much?” he questions one of the stable boys, looking around and spotting some saddles that he will need as well.

“Boss usually sells them for around two or three gold pieces, but she’s not fully broken yet,” the boy mumbles, looking a little lost, which means he probably isn’t used to handling the sales himself.

“I’ll give you three gold pieces for the horse _and_ a saddle. If she’s not fully broken then you have to sell her for cheaper, otherwise you're just a swindler,” he reasons, watching as the boy just dumbly nods his head and starts getting everything ready.

While he’s waiting he looks down at his necklace and lets out a sigh, wondering if he’s even doing the right thing. A part of him just wants to go back home, regardless of what he knows because it’s familiar and he misses it. But there’s another part of him that’s always been too curious about his mother, who she was and where she came from, where he came from.

He won’t ever find those answers if he stays with the Kim’s but leaving means he may find answers he doesn’t want to hear. He may wind up having to do things he’s not sure he’s capable of. If he starts this journey now, there won’t be room for him to look back.

If he moves forward, he’s either going to have to go back to being no one or take back his rightful place as the heir to a Kingdom split in half. Insoo sighs, already knowing his decision.

He’s tired of being hidden.

 

\--

 

Kyungsoo wakes up with a pounding headache and a dry mouth, making him cough as he moves to slowly sit up. His vision is blurry, and he feels a bit dizzy as he sits there and holds onto the blanket he’s on top of. He's tired of waking up feeling horrible, that's all he can think as he waits for his eyes to focus. When his vision finally clears he’s met with the amber eyes of a wolf staring at him, the large animal lying down across from him with his head resting against his paws.

“What the hell are you doing like that?” he questions hoarsely, watching as the giant wolf just wags his tail and moves to sit up.

The wolf, _Jongdae_ , just makes a little whining noise before moving closer to him and sniffing. He glares, swatting him away when he actually tries to lick at him.

“Fuck off,” he groans out, moving to lie back down when his headache starts to get too strong. He suppresses a groan, curling up and not having the energy to tell Jongdae to go away again when he moves to curl around him.

He shivers and scoots closer to the source of heat, knowing he’s never going to live this down as he lays his head on Jongdae and is met with a face full of fur. At least he’s warm and he’s freezing is what his excuse is.

“Look at you two getting along,” he hears Seulgi comment, her voice making his head pound even more that he can’t help but whine, turning towards Jongdae even more.

He doesn’t even have the energy to open his eyes when he feels her cool hands on his forehead. He only takes deep breaths and waits for her to get his headache down to a minimum, not knowing if she’s strong enough to make it dissipate completely yet because this is the worst he’s ever felt.

When the pain becomes bearable he slowly blinks his eyes open, looking up and seeing her normally blond hair dirty with ash and soot along with her clothes. He frowns, slowly moving to sit up with his back against Jongdae with her help.

“What the hell happened?” he questions, accepting the canteen from Seulgi and slowly taking a sip. It tastes horrible and he gives her a glare when she says it’ll help, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tries to force it down.

Seulgi moves to sit across from him, setting down a plate of meats in front of Jongdae who perks up and starts wolfing them down. Kyungsoo looks back over at her and frowns when he sees a bandage on her arm.

“We think someone put something in your food,” she comments, handing him a roll of bread he gladly accepts, taking small bites from it and chewing. “It seemed like a basic potion to make you sleep, but, your body reacted to it all wrong. It was like you were sick but your body temperature was dropping, not going up,” she explains, her brows furrowed as she runs a hand through her hair.

He flinches when Jongdae makes a yapping noise, turning to give him a glare that has him whining. He shakes his head, turning back to Seulgi who is giving them both a look.

“There was a fire, at the brothel. Jongdae carried us out, but, there’s something I want to ask you,” she states seriously, making him frown as he takes another bite of his bread roll.

“Well?” he questions, clearing his throat and moving to rest his head against the wolf behind him. His head is still hurting slightly and he feels an ache in his bones like when he got sick the one time he was stuck out in the rain during the winter months when he was younger.

“Jongdae has a ridiculous theory,” she comments, getting growled at by Jongdae which only makes him move to swat at the wolf tiredly, not wanting any unnecessary noise.

Seulgi rolls her eyes and ignores him, keeping her attention on him instead. “He says that your family is similar to the Kim’s.”

Kyungsoo frowns, moving to rub at his eyes as he stifles a yawn, curling up against Jongdae as he feels himself start to shiver. “How so?” he questions, wishing there was a bit more sunlight where they’re at. Wherever they’re at that is, he hasn’t had the thought to even ask yet, his mind still groggy as he tries to process everything.

“Dragons,” Seulgi speaks up, making him snort and shake his head. “Your family could shift into dragons.”

“You sound ridiculous,” he snorts out, feeling his eyelids start to droop as he feels another wave of tiredness sweep over him. He’s so cold he even moves to bury his face in Jongdae’s fur, shivering and hating how pathetic he feels. He hates getting sick.

“I told you he would think it’s nonsense,” Seulgi speaks up, but seems to be talking to Jongdae who makes a grumbling noise. “We would know if Kyungsoo had any ability to shift. I’ve known him longer than you have,” she argues, making him groan as he tries to stay awake.

He tries to tune out her one-sided arguing, glad he at least doesn’t have to listen to whatever Jongdae is thinking as he rests his eyes. He really hates how unbalanced he feels, wanting to find whoever put the potion in his food and bite their head off. He should have been smarter and more aware of his surroundings last night. He curses himself as he opens his eyes again, looking at Seulgi.

“What?” he questions tiredly, watching as she reaches out with her hands glowing a light green color. He closes his eyes as he feels the soothing thrum of her magic working its way into his system, always finding it relaxing in a way.

“Magics and potions are different when it comes to people like the Kim’s, shapeshifters. Your bodies are genetically different than everyone else’s. I read about it in some of the books back home, but, those were _ancient_. I didn’t think much of them until he came along,” she tells him, referring to Jongdae who he can feel steadily breathing beneath him.

“If there’s a point to this then you’re going to have to cut straight to it because my head feels fuzzy,” he says honestly, letting out a tired breath of air as he forces himself to open his eyes.

“Like I said, we have a ridiculous theory,” she comments before he feels himself quickly starting to fall back to sleep. The last thing he manages to make out is her reaching for necklace and then everything goes _red_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a lot shorter than i wanted it but this whole fic is like a guinea pig to me with a bunch of things so we'll see if what i have in mind works for next update lol
> 
> a thread for this fic is here https://twitter.com/jjokkomis/status/1023329315029700608 and has a bunch of stuff including pics and a map and family tree can be found on this thing here https://padlet.com/jjokokomi/p3xy1vpss7xf (pw is ksoo's bday in MMDDYYYY form)


	5. 04

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> red eyes

Jongdae’s nose twitches as he sits across from Kyungsoo, eyeing the other male and taking everything in. His scent has done a complete one eighty and is nothing like it was before. It’s stronger now. There’s still an underlying scent under it that’s completely _him_ but, everything else is overwhelming.

Seulgi has been examining his necklace for around an _hour_ trying to figure out whatever magic was used with no luck while Kyungsoo just sits there unhappily. Jongdae has been sitting across from him the entire time, trying to figure out how a simple piece of metal could suppress such obvious powers. The quake he caused may have knocked his head or something because he feels a little unsteady now, among other things. Even his wolf is acting a little off.

“What?” Kyungsoo snaps, making him twitch and fight back a blush, clearing his throat and shrugging.

“Maybe this is why you have different hair, I don’t know,” he mumbles, trying to sort his thoughts out and hoping the blonde isn’t prying too much now.

“What would powers have to do with my hair?” Kyungsoo questions grumpily, looking skittish without the necklace on but at least he isn’t looking pale and sick anymore.

Jongdae shrugs again, “They think that’s why mine isn’t grey,” he shares, being the black sheep in the Kim family when it comes to the traditionally grey shades of hair. Minseok’s is nearly pure white, which isn’t nearly grey but a close enough shade to other family members. He’s always felt a little isolated with his own honey blonde. “All Kim’s have grey hair,” he explains when Kyungsoo doesn’t look like he understands.

“Your father had red hair,” he adds on as an afterthought, knowing the stories well enough. His own father would tell him war stories about battles and dragons all the time when he was younger until his mother made him stop.

Do Taejung had wine red hair and wasn’t even the strongest out of his siblings but still managed to melt cities to the ground when his brothers were mysteriously killed. It was blamed on _his_ family, but nothing was ever proven. It’s what started the war as far as he’s concerned. The Do’s retaliated against false claims and then they fought back.

Even without the eldest Do son, Taehoon , whose dragon was said to have been pure white and could breathe fire so hot it was _blue_ , Do Taejung managed to burn entire cities down on his own. Jongdae still doesn’t know how his uncle was able to actually kill him and come out alive. He doesn’t think he’s ever told the story either.

“His dragon could breathe out lava. I don’t know if he could control it outside of his dragon form though,” he comments, not knowing if he should even be talking. It feels uncomfortable to have more knowledge about Do Taejung than his own son. Well, his _other_ son.

“Insoo’s hair is pitch black, which makes him look really pale. You’re not so pale, you’re a bit tanner. You also have a little bit of freckles, not that I’m paying attention or anything,” he rushes out when Kyungsoo starts giving him a weird look.

“It’s just, I don’t understand how you two can look so much alike but so different at the same time,” he finishes off lamely, frowning a bit and wondering how Insoo is doing in the first place. “You don’t really act alike either. Insoo, is, well, softer.”

Insoo is bound to be upset he missed his birthday, but maybe he’s just worried since he’s probably been declared missing. His mother is probably distraught and although he wants to know if she’s okay, to let her know _he_ is okay, he hasn’t had one thought of just trying to sneak off and run ahead of them.

“He grew up in the palace?” Kyungsoo questions, pulling his knees up to rest his arms on top of.

Jongdae nods quickly, “He was brought there by my uncle when the war ended. Jongin was only a year old. I was two. He was raised there. Jongin doesn’t have siblings. Insoo is the closest thing he has…although, calling them brothers would be, _wrong_ ,” he finishes off awkwardly.

He’s always been a little suspicious of Jongin’s obvious soft spot for Insoo. Jongin is about as alpha as his father. Hard headed and blunt to the point if you didn’t know him well enough you’d probably hate him. He’s the same with Insoo but, softer around the edges. He doesn’t know how many times he’s let Insoo sleep with him when they were little. If he even tried to pick on Insoo, Jongin would know about it and headlock him.

“The bastard?” Kyungsoo questions, making him nearly choke on air. Luckily Seulgi replies before he can actually say anything.

“The _Crowned **Prince**_. Honestly, if you’re going to make me walk all the way into their Kingdom and try and blackmail your way into getting your long-lost twin back, at least have the decency to know who is who,” she scolds, shaking her head as she moves to hand him back his necklace.

Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes at her, moving to put his necklace back on when he speaks up.

“You should keep it off. If your powers don’t work with it on, there’s no way you’re going to get a hold of them.”

“Maybe we should pick up a muzzle for our new pet dog,” Kyungsoo grunts out, giving him a glare before doing the exact opposite of what he’s suggesting.

“He has a point though,” Seulgi speaks up, which is met by an offended look on Kyungsoo’s part. “You nearly knocked us all out earlier. You can’t suppress your powers forever. It’s not natural. I don’t know what kind of magic is on that thing but what if it suddenly stops working?”

“Then I’ll deal with it then,” the other male argues stubbornly.

“Like the time you insisted you didn’t need to know how to swim?” she pesters, which must be a story Kyungsoo doesn’t want to relive because he completely flushes at the mention of it. Even his ears turn red as he gives her a nasty glare and then yanks the necklace off again and stuffs it in his pocket.

“I hate you both,” Kyungsoo grumbles unhappily, standing up and letting out a little groan as he stretches.

“I saved your life,” he speaks up plainly, eyeing Kyungsoo who just turns and gives him an unimpressed look.

“You nearly tried to kill me. We’re even now,” Kyungsoo replies before shrugging indifferently, grabbing Seulgi’s bag and looking through it.

Jongdae sighs loudly before rolling his eyes and moving to stand up as well. “I didn’t try and kill you on purpose,” he excuses for the millionth time, shaking his head and flicking the younger boy and putting enough of a shock to it that Kyungsoo twitches and starts to glare.

“Shock me again and I’ll break your hand,” Kyungsoo threatens, shoving him with enough force that he actually nearly falls down on his butt.

He glares when Seulgi actually laughs at him, growling lowly in his throat before moving to walk after Kyungsoo.

“Insoo is just going to _adore_ you,” he snarks out, shaking his head and kicking a pebble towards the other Do and missing. “Jongin will probably want to kill you.”

“The feeling will be mutual,” Kyungsoo calls out.

Jongdae sighs and rushes to catch up to the male, walking by his side and sparing him a quick glance out of the corner of his eye. He ignores his wolf and really, really hopes Seulgi isn’t prying too much.

 

\--

 

Sticking to the gravel paths seems to work for Insoo, who in his twenty years, has never really traveled alone. He’s always been in the buggy by himself or sometimes with Minseok if he was coming along too. He never actually had to rely on reading maps, although he was taught how to in his lessons. Although he was restricted in certain areas, he was still given a proper education at the Kim’s.

He knows the Kim’s kingdom pretty well, considering its where he grew up. The woods towards the border between their kingdom and the Jung’s are notorious for several reasons. Like the woman had mentioned, a lot of superstitious people believe they’re haunted. One of his tutors used to live near the border and told him various ghost stories that made him end up in Jongin’s bed when he was younger.

He’s sure it’s only just stories being exaggerated to scare children and unwelcomed travelers, but he can’t help but feel a little spooked every time he hears rustling. He shivers a bit as he looks to his right and towards the woods, not being able to shake off the feeling that he’s being watched.

Shaking his head, he moves to tug his hood further over his head, his grip on the reins to his mare tightening when she stops walking. He frowns, giving her a little squeeze to get her going again and going wide eyed when she starts acting up.

“Hey!” he shouts when she starts neighing loudly and moving onto her hind legs making him nearly fall off.

He’s trying his hardest to get a good grip on her to stay on when the ground starts to shake violently, spooking her even more and he’s kicked off. He goes flying with a shout, landing harshly on the ground and getting the wind knocked out of him as he makes impact.

He gasps, feeling his vision blur as he tries to get air back into his lungs, but the ground is still shaking violently. He whines, attempting to roll over and push himself up but he’s too off balance and the shaking only makes it worse. By the time it stops he feels nauseas, slowly moving to sit up and groaning as he sees his mare taking off down the road.

“Come back,” he whines out, coughing before moving to get up and trying to not trip as he rushes after her.

He can’t help but stumble as he makes his way after her, the gravel paths completely wrecked with debris from the surrounding trees. He looks around and observes how some of tree are leaning from the earthquake, some even being uprooted and fallen over. There are branches in the pathway as he chases after his horse who has calmed down enough to stop running.

He approaches her quietly, talking to her soothingly before he moves to pet her. He sighs in relief when she lets him, reaching over and looking in the satchel he has attached and making sure nothing fell out. He can’t afford to lose any of his money, needing it to make it the rest of the way to Ladon.

“That’s the third one this week,” he mutters, shaking his head and wincing a little as he reaches up to his forehead and frowning when he realizes he’s bleeding.

He’s not sure what’s going on to be causing them, considering earthquakes are more common down south. They never happen up in the North. Everyone in the last town he passed through was taking it as a bad omen, their crops suffering already. He didn’t even have the heart to try and barter his way into getting everything cheaper.

If there’s anything he’s learned the past week and a half being on the road by himself is that he has to be cheap, only stopping when necessary and buying only the minimum of what he needs. He misses his warm bed and warm baths, but if he wants his money to last, he has to opt out of staying at an inn. He’s getting tired of bathing in cold rivers or streams but it’s what he has to deal with.

Too sore to try and keep moving he leads his horse to a nearby tree and ties her to it so he can look at his map. His whole-body aches as he moves to sit down, cursing his luck for being on the road when one of the quakes happened. So far, he’s been in a town or resting so he hasn’t actually gotten hurt from one of them. Although the first time it happened he nearly pissed himself it scared him so bad.

He sighs as he lays his map out in front of him, biting into an apple he plucks from his satchel and chewing. He’s close to the border now, probably only about a day or two away, depending on the weather and these random earthquakes setting him back. He doesn’t know what he’ll do once he’s in the Jung’s Kingdom, but he still wants to get there as quick as possible.

The necklace around his neck is useless at this point, no way of reading the tiny map of stars. He never learned how to travel by the stars and he isn’t going to waste precious time trying to figure it out. He’ll get into the Jung’s territory and then he’ll make his way southeast to Ladon. Once he’s there he’ll find someone who can help him.

The Jung’s remained loyal to his family throughout the war, so they’re his best shot. Once they know who he is, they’ll take him in. King Ilwoo fought alongside his father. He’s sure to know who he is the second he looks at him if what everyone says is true. He just has to trust he looks as much like his father as everyone says he does.

When he hears a twig snap he pauses, looking up and around the forest slowly. He doesn’t hear anything moving and the only noise he does hear is from his mare trying to get to his apple. He stands up and lets her eat the rest of it, looking around as he grabs the bow attached to his saddle and an arrow just in case.

He slowly walks towards where he hears the noise, watching his steps and making sure to be as quiet as possible. He walks further into the forest and pauses when he hears another twig from behind him. He pauses, getting his bow ready before he turns around, eyes widening when he sees an all too familiar wolf.

“Minseok?” he questions, lowering his bow and blinking in confusion when the wolf _growls_ at him.

Insoo quickly realizes something isn’t right as the wolf bares his teeth and slowly walks towards him. He grew up with Minseok, so he knows what he looks like in his wolf form. His fur is pure white, and his eyes are the same amber color as every other Kim. The wolf in front of him doesn’t have those eyes, they’re _red_.

He takes a deep breath as he looks over towards his horse, wondering if he can make a dash for her and somehow managed to still have time to mount her and try and get as far away from Minseok as possible. He doesn’t think he stands a chance, but he still breaks out into a run, pushing himself a little too hard because his head feels heavy as he attempts to avoid all the fallen branches from the quake.

He attempts to keep his eyes on the ground while simultaneously paying attention to where he’s going but it’s hard and he’s too scared to even attempt to look behind him, but he can hear Minseok catching up. He’s so close to the horse when he trips, stumbling onto the ground harsh enough that he knows he’s going to be bruised for weeks.

He groans, attempting to scramble and push himself back up but his leg hurts enough that he can’t. It might be broken he realizes, pushing himself back with his arms before looking up when he hears a growl. He’s really about to _die_ he thinks before he squeezes his eyes shut, expecting to feel the impact of his canines sinking into some part of his body afterwards.

When instead he hears a pained whine and a loud thump of a body falling to the ground he skeptically cracks an eye open, surprised to see Minseok’s wolf form on the ground and twitching until he shifts. His eyes nearly bug out of his head when he sees the arrow lodged into his arm.

“You’re a little useless, aren’t you?” he hears someone comment, making him flinch and look around, gaping when he sees a _girl_ with pitch black hair giving him a cold judging look.

He gets distracted when he hears people coming out from the woods, another girl with short blonde hair walking up to Minseok who is groaning.

“Don’t!” he shouts, wincing as he tries to get up and go towards the other boy. He knows something must be wrong for Minseok to actually attack him, but he doesn’t want some random witch touching him. “Leave him alone or he’ll end up killing you,” he states sternly, giving her a glare because he can barely move and it’s all he can do.

“Be quiet and let the grownups work,” the girl from before comments, making him direct his glare towards her.

“She’s just trying to help,” another girl speaks up, making him look over at her and smack her hand away when she tries to help him up.

“Don’t you _dare_ touch me,” he bites out, grinding his teeth when he looks back and sees the blonde doing something to Minseok. He forces himself to get up despite how sore he feels. He hops on his good leg over towards them, sitting next to Minseok and moving to grab his hand.

He watches the blonde wearily, knowing she’s more than likely healing him but she’s a _stranger_. She’s small and pretty and it’s a little distracting looking at her hair but when he hears Minseok cough he’s immediately looking down.

“Minseok? Hyung?” he pesters, patting at his face and frowning when the elder groans before curling up towards him.

He runs his hands through the elder’s hair when the woman finally moves away, wondering how on earth he even managed to find him. Jongin hasn’t even caught up to him, assuming he’s been sent to find him that is. He looks up when he realizes the blonde woman still hasn’t moved away from them, frowning at the expression on her face.

“ _What_?” he all but snaps, tightening his grip on Minseok’s hand and wishing he wasn’t incapacitated right now because he has little to no experience dealing with girls his own age.

“Is your name Insoo?” the girl questions calmly, making his eyes widen before he starts to glare at her again.

“How do you know that?” he questions suspiciously, looking down briefly when Minseok whines a little in his sleep. “Who the hell are you?” he fires back, wondering how she’s even in the kingdom with her hair so light. Witchcraft is _banned_ , King Kim made sure of it ages ago.

“My name is Taeyeon, we found his cousin about a week and a half ago,” she says slowly, making his brows furrow before his eyes widen.

“Jongdae?” he questions, sitting up a little bit and feeling a wave of relief when he realizes the elder is okay. “Where is he?” he questions some more, looking around and failing to spot the elder.

“The mutt took off,” the girl from before speaks up, walking into his line of view and crouching down so they’re eye to eye.

She’s stunningly beautiful enough that he finds himself looking away, not used to having to look any women in the eye longer than necessary. His only chaperone right now is Minseok and the elder is practically asleep right now, unaware of what’s even happening. He looks back at her when she scoffs, looking ready to say something before her eyes trail towards his neck.

He flinches when she actually reaches out and grabs his necklace, making him slap her hand away with a glare. She doesn’t look surprised but still quirks a brow at him, smirking as she eyes him.

“You hit like a girl,” she teases, smiling at him as she moves to pinch his cheek harshly.

“Fuck off,” he snaps back at her, glaring and rubbing his cheek with a scowl.

“I guess they really are twins.”

Insoo frowns in confusion, eyeing her as she walks over towards the girl who tried helping him up who is staring a little too much at him. He ignores them both, helping Minseok sit up when he starts blinking his eyes open wearily, recoiling when he realizes they’re surrounded by women.

“What’s going on,” Minseok croaks out, growling when Taeyeon tries to reach out towards him, looking ready to shift again and bite her head off. “If you touch me I’ll kill you,” he warns, going rigid in his grip.

“I already told them that,” he mumbles, loosening his hold on the elder’s arm as he moves to stand up. He tries to as well but whimpers as the pain in his leg prevents him from doing so, looking down and wanting to throw up when he sees too much red.

“Or maybe not. The baby can’t even handle a little blood,” the black-haired girl comments, getting a disapproving look from Taeyeon.

“Joohyun, be nice,” the girl he smacked away from him says with a tiny frown on her lips.

Joohyun rolls her eyes and gives a look before Minseok moves in front of him. He can only assume he’s glaring at her for him. He looks around and spots Taeyeon, looking at his leg with a questioning gaze so he slowly nods his head. Minseok growls at her before standing out of the way and letting her near him.

He knows magic can be used for healing purposes, but he still isn’t exactly used to it, feeling funny when her hands start to glow a light blue color. He bites his lip when he feels one big spurt of pain before its gone, actually able to wiggle his toes around without it hurting anymore. Minseok immediately helps him up and secures an arm around his waist, still giving Joohyun a challenging look.

“If someone wants to explain what the hell is going on, that would be great,” Minseok snaps bluntly, tightening his arm enough that he has to suppress a wince, forgetting exactly how strong the Kim men can be.

“I’m assuming you were bewitched to try and kill him, just like your cousin was bewitched to kill _my_ cousin. So why don’t _you_ explain to _us_ what the hell is going on?” Joohyun replies, tilting her head and giving him a scary look.

“Are you sure it was Jongdae? He wouldn’t hurt _anyone_ ,” he rushes out, moving out of Minseok’s grip and towards Joohyun who makes him falter when she glares at him.

“We’re positive. He said so himself. He’s the only reason we even know _you_ exist,” Taeyeon comments, eyeing Minseok a bit before looking at him. “He took off with two people from our village. One of them, well,” she pauses, looking towards the other girl who sighs.

“Looks like King Kim has a problem,” Joohyun states calmly, her lips twitching in a smile that makes him a little uneasy.

“Which is?” he prompts carefully, eyeing them all wearily and wanting to know just exactly what is going on. Ever since his birthday everything has become a big _mess_.

“He didn’t realize there was two of you.”

Insoo frowns, blinking back his confusion and shaking his head. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“I can’t believe I’m related to _this_ ,” Joohyun mutters, shaking her head and looking towards another blonde, this one with longer hair.

“We really don’t have the time to explain,” she states plainly before walking up to him. He lets her, eyeing her wearily when she reaches out and puts both hands on his temples before he sees the familiar glow. “This _might_ hurt,” she wars before a rush of memories shoot through his head and make him shout out, shoving her away as he falls flat on his butt.

His hearing is muffled but he distinctly hears Minseok threatening the girl and then more arguing. It doesn’t matter though. Insoo blinks stupidly before he sits up.

Nothing matters now.

He has a brother. He has a _twin_.

 

\--

 

Seulgi stifles a yawn as she continues walking behind the boys, stretching her arms above her head. Her joints feel stiff from having to sleep on the floor one too many nights, getting tired of it and hoping Kyungsoo will agree to let them in another inn after the fiasco from the first time. They just need to be more careful, only eat food they can prep themselves this time around.

She pauses in her step when she gets an eerie feeling, turning around slowly and squinting out into the woods. It’s not the first time she’s felt like she’s being watched only for no one to be there. Jongdae doesn’t sense anyone and neither does Kyungsoo, so she shouldn’t be worried, but she can’t shake the feeling.

She twitches when she hears Kyungsoo let out a loud cuss before he groans, turning around quickly to see the elder leaning against Jongdae with his eyes squeezed shut.

“What’s wrong?” she questions, rushing up to them and looking over the elder worriedly.

“I don’t know he just started freaking out!” Jongdae rushes out, nearly toppling over when Kyungsoo leans too much weight against him.

“I swear if you cause another earthquake I’m going to _hit_ you,” Seulgi warns, moving to help support him when Jongdae shuffles a bit.

“It’s not his fault, he’s just a baby bird trying to fly,” Jongdae teases, which she’s not sure she appreciates.

She doesn’t know how she feels about the elder getting away with all he does when it comes to Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo never took to any of the girls teasing him back home. She’s so used to him mouthing off with such vulgarity it feels uncomfortable for him to stay silent when it comes to Kim Jongdae.

All he does is glare hard at him, eyes flashing red before he lets out a puff of air and stands on his own. They both let go of their grip on his arms, Jongdae smiling at Kyungsoo while she watches the two with a frown on her lips.

“Are you alright?” she questions, breaking the silence and looking worriedly at her friend.

“Yeah, I don’t know. It just hurt suddenly,” Kyungsoo grumbles, taking a deep breath before moving his weight around on both legs. His eyes return to their normal shade of brown and the earth remains unshaken and she’s glad.

“Maybe it’s the gods smiting you for ruining our lunch,” Jongdae comments, shrugging indifferently while Kyungsoo starts glaring at him.

“You _shocked_ me you bastard,” Kyungsoo all but growls out, looking ready to hit the wolf but he doesn’t.

“That’s my _cousin_ ,” Jongdae snarks back, smiling of all things and then moving to ruffle Kyungsoo’s hair. Seulgi glares when he doesn’t even bother to smack him. “I told you it was an accident, your _highness_.”

She lets out a puff of air before rolling her eyes and moving in front of Jongdae. She shoulders him out of the way and doesn’t bother looking back at him when he grunts.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she questions, searching through that thick head of his to see if he’s telling her the truth when he nods his head.

“I’m fine, you don’t have to worry,” Kyungsoo replies quietly, reaching out and grabbing a hold of the dragon pendant attached the silver around her neck. “I don’t like not wearing it,” he admits even quieter, a small frown on his lips and a furrow to his brow.

“If it would make you feel better we can put it on the mutt,” she offers, watching as his lips twitch into a smirk and Jongdae lets out an offended scoff.

“It would _burn_ me,” Jongdae grumbles unhappily, to which she completely ignores. “But you need to get ahold of whatever powers you have before you meet my uncle. It’s better if you keep it off for now.”

Seulgi hates how he makes a valid point, wanting to argue but well, the Kim’s hunch was right. As soon as she took the necklace off of him it was like a veil was lifted and the first quake happened. She vaguely recalled the very first, back when they were younger and couldn’t believe she could have been so stupid to not realize the correlation.

It’s such old and complicated magic, to put a spell on a piece of jewelry to protect the person wearing it that she doesn’t even know how it was cast. Even Taeyeon and Yoojin, some of the most powerful witches in their tribe never noticed anything about it. Of all the readings she’s done she’s never heard of anything strong enough to suppress a person’s abilities while simultaneously being undetectable. She couldn’t even figure out how to undo it when they found out.

She also hates how she’s the only one that sees the flaw in their big plan. Even if they make it to Lycaon, she doubts King Kim, the man who apparently killed Kyungsoo’s own father and then kept his only known son as a ward is going to give the other Do twin up so easily. The man kept him for a reason and although she isn’t the smartest when it comes to politics, she knows strategies and war moves. If the stories they’ve gathered in their short time traveling are true, King Kim is not someone they should trust.

“Will you kill him?” she questions suddenly, throwing both men off as she listens to the erratic thoughts flying through the Kim’s mind and sees the surprise in Kyungsoo’s eyes. “He isn’t going to just hand your brother over. He sees him as a threat. He’ll see _you_ as a threat. The two of you together? He’ll be scared the crown will drop from his head,” she states plainly.

“Even if you somehow mastered these powers of yours, my uncle isn’t someone to just die without a fight. He didn’t win a war on just plain luck,” Jongdae argues angrily.

She turns to him, knowing she struck a nerve but it needed to be said sooner rather than later.

“I think you underestimate just how we live back home,” Kyungsoo says diplomatically, giving Jongdae a small glare. “You think we sit at home and braid each other’s hair?” 

“You aren’t stronger than my uncle and if by some ridiculous chance you were, Jongin would burn your entire little village to the ground and then god knows what he’d do to _you_ ,” Jongdae argues, breathing a little heavier now.

The air feels thick and she gives him a warning glare, itching for a reason to put that spell back on him. Jongdae hasn’t done anything on purpose _yet_ , but she still doesn’t fully trust him just yet. Regardless if he’s helping them now, his loyalty isn’t to Kyungsoo in the slightest bit.

“Your uncle killed my father, for all I know he could have killed my mother and for twenty years he’s kept my brother locked up in that palace of his because he’s _scared_. If he doesn’t hand him over I _will_ kill him and then if his son wants to start another war it’ll end with his head on a spike as decoration,” Kyungsoo fires off, eyes turning a bright red and the ground starts to shake near his feet.

Seulgi momentarily regrets opening her mouth, knowing Kyungsoo doesn’t have the _best_ temper was something she should have factored in before she said anything. She just hopes he doesn’t cause yet another quake, feet tired of walking to begin with.

“Are you threatening my family?” Jongdae questions seriously, his hands balled into fists by his side as he fights to keep himself from shifting. “My uncle has a whole Kingdom and an army and three others that would jump to their feet the second he asked, what the hell does an orphan who grew up with nothing, but silly women have?”

Seulgi glares, “What did I tell you about using that word?” she questions hotly, attempting to move forward so she can hit him herself when Kyungsoo pulls her back, making her look over at him with wide eyes.

“Those silly women are the _only_ reason you’re still alive right now,” Kyungsoo states sternly, sounding a little too calm which can never be good when it comes to him. “But you’re right. So, we’re going to have to fix that, now aren’t we?”

“Kyungsoo,” she warns, not sure if she likes where his train of thought is going, even if it makes sense.

“You can put that spell back on him and if you can make him mute then knock yourself out. I may be an orphan but there’s a throne with my name on it down in Drakon,” he comments diplomatically, which makes Jongdae’s eyes widen.

“You can’t be serious, the Parks-,

“Are going to hand it over or _leave_ ,” Kyungsoo interrupts, effectively silencing Jongdae as he just stares, stupefied.

“You don’t have an army, you can’t just walk in and call dibs,” Seulgi speaks up, not sure if this is the right path to be taking so suddenly.

“Which is why we’re going to Ladon.”

All she can do is frown as he leaves it at that, walking away from them both and making sure to shove Jongdae out of the way who is too stupefied to anything about it. She lets out a tired sigh as she looks over at Jongdae, already muttering the spell under her breath and trying not to feel bad when half his thoughts abruptly _stop_ , and he lets out a tiny whimper.

“Are you still coming with us?” she questions quietly, knowing he doesn’t have much of a reason to now that Kyungsoo has practically declared war on the Kim’s family. Kyungsoo will get to Insoo with or without Jongdae’s help.

Jongdae whines and pulls at his own hair, making her frown. “There’s something _seriously_ wrong with me,” he mutters before he takes off after Kyungsoo.

Seulgi sighs, looking behind them one last time before following them both.

 

\--

 

The winds are starting to pick up and Jongin can tell it’s going to snow soon. The temperatures have dropped drastically the past two nights, making it harder for the traveling party. They’re only about a day away from Leon and it’s been a long month on the road traveling. Jongin is tired and sick of the random earthquakes that have made the journey only that much more difficult.

He’s also sick and tired of Byun Baekhyun as a travel companion. He resists the urge to just teleport to the front of the traveling party, knowing Baekhyun would just catch up to him and then nearly blind him for doing it in the first place. He seriously hates how useless and annoying his powers are.

“How Sehun doesn’t kill you himself, I’ll never know,” he speaks up when he can finally get a word in.

“Oh, that’s because Sehun is in love with me,” Baekhyun replies back easily, smiling before turning on his horse to look at his guard with an annoying smile. “Isn’t that right?”

“Whatever you say, your highness,” Sehun drones out from his horse, not saying anything further.

“Don’t let his face fool you. If I weren’t promised to Jo Hyeran, he would be fighting for my hand in marriage,” Baekhyun sighs out, shaking his head like it’s a tragedy and then patting his mare.

“I’ll take your word for it,” he grunts out, not wanting to think about marriages at all.

If it weren’t for Juran he would have already found Insoo by now, but _no_. His farther forbid him from going with Joonmyun and the other hunting pack to make sure his fiancé was safe after the fiasco of ditching her during the festival. He’s punishing him in the most political way possible and he hates it.

Joonmyun isn’t nearly as good of a tracker as he is. He’s spent the most time with Insoo out of all of his cousins, he would have found him the day he went missing and Minseok too. The only reason he’s obeyed his father’s orders is because _both_ of them were found missing from the buggy, not just one.

So, wherever Insoo is, Minseok is with him and he knows his cousin would do anything to make sure he’s safe. But the longer they’re gone the more worried he gets regardless. Something happened back there, he’s just not sure what and doesn’t think anyone knows at this point.

He pauses when he hears a raven’s call, looking up to the sky and waiting for it to appear in his line of vision. When he finally spots it along with a distinct white paper on its leg he immediately takes hold of his powers and transports himself to where he knows his father and King Byun are at.

Neither male looks surprised to see him, but he still gets a disapproving glare from his father whose mare lets out a spooked noise and moves around. His own is too used to the traveling to care, taking in its new surroundings in silence.

“You said if they hadn’t found him by now then I would be allowed to look _myself_ ,” he reminds his father sternly, tightening his grip on his reigns and setting his jaw.

“You have a fiancé to protect. The Do boy isn’t more important than her,” his father states diplomatically, the raven finally landing on his outstretched arm.

“We’re close enough to Leon, they have a whole castle to protect her,” he grumbles out, getting glared at and a disapproving look from King Byun who wisely stays quiet. “Insoo is _my_ responsibility,” he continues to argue.

He watches as his father reads over the tiny scroll and then tosses it at him, having to be quick to catch it before it falls. He immediately rushes to read over it, brows furrowing as he reads over Joonmyun’s writing. He lets out a relieved sigh when he reads they caught his scent and are near and should be back before the snow really starts up.

“You can get back to Prince Baekhyun now,” his father states sternly, making him obediently nod his head and refrain from saying anything back. He does as he’s told and lands near Sehun instead, Baekhyun looking back at him in surprise.

“They find your pet?” Sehun questions plainly, making him reach over and nearly yank him off his horse.

“Do you _want_ to die?” he questions angrily, feeling his eyes flash before he regains control of his temper and shoves him hard enough that he falls off him horse with a shout.

“C’mon Jongin, that’s the only guard I have,” Baekhyun complains, shaking his head as he turns his horse around to see the damage. “Who is supposed to keep me from dying if you kill him?” he whines out.

“Maybe learn to defend yourself,” he grunts out, glaring as Sehun gets up and dusts himself off, letting out a loud sigh as he moves to remounts his horse. “Tell _your_ pet to keep his mouth shut unless he _wants_ me to kill him.”

“You wolves and your tempers,” Baekhyun mutters with a purse of his lips. “Makes me glad that gene died out when it did with us.”

“Insoo is _not_ my pet,” he grunts out, tempted to reach over and shove Sehun off his horse again just to satisfy his wolf who is itching to get let out. If they weren’t close to the castle and surrounded by people, he would and probably chase the Oh boy all the way there.

“Okay lover boy,” Baekhyun comments with a smile, making his eye twitch.

“If I didn’t like your mother I would kill _you_ ,” he states plainly before getting his horse to move ahead of the two.

“I’m the only son she has now, she would be very upset,” Baekhyun says lightly, but his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes which makes him feel bad.

“Sorry. Just, stop talking,” he grunts out before going silent, luckily the elder complies.

He lets out a sigh and watches as he’s able to see his breath, looking up when he feels something soft and cold hit his nose. The snow is starting up and he frowns, shaking his head and hoping they have no more problems now that they’re so close. The last thing he wants is to be stuck in the cold longer than he has to.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know its been forever im sorry but hopefully this chapter is more interesting than the last  
> its a bit longer i think......  
> hopefully i can update sooner this time around >>o


	6. 05

The wind is cold as Insoo walks behind the group of women, head still feeling heavy as the new memories shoved into his subconscious start coming out. He can see Kyungsoo in bits and pieces, hear his voice and actually _see_ him walking around the village in front of him. Its overwhelming to see someone with the same face as him, almost the same voice. It feels surreal, eyes looking around the village until he spots a familiar wooden cabin.

He breaks off from the group, walking straight towards it and completely ignoring the random women who have stopped to stare at him. He reaches the door and slowly pushes it open, looking around and walking in. It smells like the grass after it rains and something floral. The bed is small compared to what he’s used to but he feels warm, happy.

The entire cabin is smaller than what he thought was his small room back at the estate. He slowly makes his way over towards the wardrobe, opening it up and seeing its nearly empty. When he spots a tiny box in the left corner he moves to grab it, sitting down on the floor and opening it up.

His eyes widen when he spots a couple of gemstones, smiling as he picks one up and sees it’s a pretty blue hue mixed with reds. It’s pretty and he looks down and picks up a couple of more, examining them with wide eyes before he hears someone open the door, making him flinch.

He looks up and spots Joohyun, the girl giving him a cold judging look when she spots him on the floor. He clears his throat, putting to stone back in the box and closing the lid. He watches as the brunette walks around the room before she sits on the bed, crossing her arms over her chest as she stares at him.

“Those are all from Seulgi. She gives him one ever year,” Joohyun comments eventually, making him look back down at the box and then back up at her.

“Who is she?” he questions curiously, because although he already feels like he knows Kyungsoo, he has no idea what his life is actually like here.

When Joohyun doesn’t answer him he frowns a little, looking down at his lap and wondering if she’s always this cold towards people or its just because of him. They’re _cousins_ , so it doesn’t make sense to him. Even if Minseok isn’t seen as a Kim, it’s not like Jongdae or Jongin are purposefully _mean_ to him. She knew who he was the second she saw him and still, she keeps looking at him like he’s just another speck of dirt under her nails.

“My room is bigger than this,” he speaks up, not knowing what else to say. “At the palace, at least, it _was_ bigger, before it burned down,” he adds slowly, looking at Joohyun for any sort of sign she’s even listening to him.

“My mother raised him,” Joohyun finally speaks up, giving him a blank stare as he looks over at her that leaves him unsettled. “She’s the one that brought him here. She went out one day and a week later she came back with him. Not once when she was alive did she ever mention _you_ ,” she states coldly, making him flinch when she glares and then walks out the room, the door closing loudly behind her.

He bites his lip as he stares at the wooden door, deflating a little as he moves to put the box back at the bottom of the wardrobe. He slowly gets up and moves towards the bed, sitting slowly and then moving to lie down. He doesn’t know why he feels so alone suddenly, curling up and pulling the wool blanket over himself.

He stares at the wooden walls and reaches over, tracing over the carved in patterns and wondering if Kyungsoo was just as lonely as him when he was a kid. He wonders briefly if Kyungsoo would even like him, because apparently Joohyun doesn’t.

He thought having an actual family would help him feel less empty, but so far that isn’t the case. He sighs, turning around and lying on his back instead. The bed isn’t even comfortable, which just makes him feel even more pathetic as he moves to sit up.

He doesn’t even know what he’s doing here. Kyungsoo isn’t here and from the sounds of it, he isn’t coming back anytime soon. He was so close to the border, that if he hadn’t gotten attacked by Minseok he would have already been there. Frustrated he lets out a tiny groan, walking over towards the door and leaving the cabin.

He’s just barely made it towards the center of the village when something attacks his legs, making him yell as he falls over. He scurries away, kicking his legs instinctively and gaping when he hears a loud shout. He gapes as he looks down and sees a little girl with pigtails sitting and rubbing her arm, looking teary eyed.

“Oppa that hurt,” she whines, actually starting to cry loudly which gains attention from several older women nearby.

“Who the hell are you?” he fires back, eyeing the little girl wearily and watching as another girl around his age rushes over and helps her up, thumbing her tears away from her.

“She thought you were someone else,” the woman comments, looking at him briefly before picking the girl up and carrying her away.

Insoo frowns, looking around and shaking his head as he gets up and walks towards the woods. He hates it here already, not wanting to stay any longer. He can’t just sit here and do _nothing_ when his brother is out there somewhere. He won’t just sit here and wait for him to come back either.

When someone grabs his arm he almost hits them, getting ready to yell when he realizes its Minseok, who is frowning and eyeing him wearily.

“What’s wrong?” Minseok questions, brows furrowing as his nose twitches a little, looking him over seriously.

Insoo lets out a shuddering breath, not knowing why he’s even so upset. He shakes his head, deflating a little as he closes his eyes. He’s tired and just wants to sleep, his mind feeling scattered and too full after the day he’s had. It’s like someone took out every bit of his brain and then rearranged it all. He doesn’t feel like himself at the moment.

“Nothing,” he replies quietly, shaking his head and letting out a long sigh as he looks around.

“They’re probably looking for you,” Minseok speaks up after a while, making him look towards the elder who is staring at the cabin behind him. “This village is in the Kim’s territory. If they find it…,” he trails off, clearing his throat and frowning.

“You should go home,” he replies seriously, watching as Minseok’s brows start to furrow in confusion. “Your father is probably wondering where you are.”

Minseok’s face scrunches up as he lets out a disgruntled growl, shaking his head. He honestly isn’t even sure if Minseok’s father _is_ worried. Insoo would hope he is, but he doesn’t think he’s ever seen the elder’s father look concerned for him over Joonmyun.

“If anyone is worried, it’s Prince Jongin and it’s not about _me_ ,” Minseok replies sternly, shaking his head and letting out an irritated huff. “ _We_ need to go home.”

“That’s never been my home, you should know that,” he argues, moving away from the elder and trying to control his temper.

“Don’t be like that. Of course, it’s your home. It’s more yours than it is mine,” Minseok argues back, reaching for his hand but he moves it out of his reach, glaring at nothing in particular.

“You have their blood and they don’t even consider you family. You seriously think they think of me like that? What the hell would a bastard like you know?” he snaps out, immediately regretting it when he sees how hurt Minseok looks before his eyes turn cold and he’s scowling.

“Fine. Stay here, see if I care when you end up like the rest of your family,” Minseok growls out, shoving past him and stomping off.

Insoo winces, turning around to apologize but Minseok has already taken off, making him frown. He lets out a frustrated groan before shaking his head and going back towards the cabin, letting the door slam behind him before he plants himself face down onto the bed, immediately regretting it when he realizes how hard it actually is.

“Ow,” he groans, moving to sit up and rubbing his nose as he gets up to open the window a little.

He sighs as the cold air hits his face, looking up at the sky and letting out a puff of air as he realizes the sun won’t be going down for a while. He’s a little hungry but hesitant to even leave the cabin again, not knowing if he can deal with any more confrontations today. He shakes his head, deciding the best thing he can do is sleep it off, moving to lie back on the bed and burying himself in the blankets.

 

\--

 

 

Jongin stretches his arms above his head as he exits the bath, a towel around his waist as he goes towards the wardrobe in his private room at the Byun’s to put on a fresh set of clothes. The one thing he’s truly missed while being on the road is a warm bath and a soft bed. The past week he had taken to traveling in his wolf form to save himself all the trouble of being woken up in the middle of the night because he’s freezing.

Now that they’re in Leon he’s glad to have gotten rid of all the dirt and grease from his hair and finally lie down on something other than the cold floor. It’s been a couple of days since they arrived, and he’s still getting used to the smell of the sheets, but it beats the cold ground. He won’t admit it out loud but although the Byun’s live ridiculously lavish lives, they do know how to accommodate their guests in their huge palace.

He isn’t a fan of the amount of silk they wear, preferring something more tight fitting and easy to move in, but he can’t afford to be entirely picky right now. He puts on the pale white shirt before putting on the black silk pants and tying them up at his hip, already a little agitated on how they fit before he walks out of his room and heads towards the banquet hall.

They’re supposed to be served lunch around noon and he honestly isn’t sure what time it is and would like to avoid having to mingle with other royalty, so he heads to the kitchens now rather than later. He passes several people who all bow and scurry out of his way quickly, none of them bothering to stop and try and talk to him.

Except Byun Baekhyun, that is.

“I forget how bulky you actually are. You look a little ridiculous, should I have sent a larger size shirt to your room?” Baekhyun questions, wearing pants similar to his but a blue silk blouse that looks too big on him in comparison to his own.

“I could use something without sleeves,” he grumbles, keeping his feet moving towards his destination and trying to fight the urge to rip the sleeves off the shirt he’s wearing now. He doesn’t like having his arms covered. The tattoos on his arms are basically like his crown, although people know who he is when he walks into a room regardless, it’s the principle of the matter.

“I bet Juran would love that,” Baekhyun jokes, making him stop and turn to give him a hard glare, about to actually reach over and shove him into the wall when he realizes why the elder is teasing in the first place.

He suppresses a scowl, trying to keep his face impassive as the girl makes her way towards them. He has half a mind to turn around and avoid her completely like he’s been doing majority of the trip but that wouldn’t be polite, he supposes.

“You could at least pretend to look like you’re excited to see her,” Baekhyun laughs out quietly, making him scowl.

“I’m _not_ ,” he states bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest and impatiently watching as she says a proper greeting to Baekhyun who just smiles the entire time.

Jongin doesn’t have the patience for their small talk and clears his throat obnoxiously, giving her a look and waiting.

“What did you want?” he questions bluntly when she looks flushed, ignoring the scolding look Baekhyun is giving him and tapping his foot to show how annoyed he is. “I don’t have all day,” he adds on when she starts spluttering.

“I was just,” she starts off only to get interrupted by a loud crash from down the hallway.

Jongin immediately moves his attention towards the sound, frowning when he spots Sehun awkwardly helping a maid he seems to have ran into. He rolls his eyes before turning back to Juran who seems distracted enough that he doesn’t wait around to see what she wanted and goes to the kitchens the quick way.

He scares some of the maids when he magically appears, making him suppress a smile as he bows in apology and moves to see what he can steal to eat. His stomach grumbles seeing lamb stuffed grape leaves and stew that smells delicious. His hand pauses as he reaches for one of the stuffed leaves, suddenly remember how much Insoo hates them.

He frowns, shaking his head before grabbing one anyways and carefully popping it in his mouth, getting his hands dirty in the process. Some of the kitchen maids look like they don’t know how to act around him, probably because he really isn’t supposed to be there in the first place, but he ignores them. He grabs more food and is in the middle of eating a baked roll when Baekhyun walks in, shaking his head when he spots him.

“Do you have to treat her like that? You’re going to get married and have to take her to bed at some point, the _least_ you can do is pretend like you care what she’s talking about,” Baekhyun scolds, dismissing the staff who look genuinely confused at the situation but obey the Prince’s orders.

“I’m trying to _eat_ ,” he replies sternly, not wanting the mental image of taking anyone to bed popping into his head at the moment. “If you like her so much, you marry her, I don’t care,” he adds as an afterthought before tearing off another piece of his bread.

“I already have a fiancée, who I actually treat like a person, maybe you should try it sometime,” Baekhyun mutters, shaking his head before he reaches for one of the buns drenched in honey and starts to eat. “You have to be ready to make sacrifices if you’re ever going to be a good ruler someday. It’s better you learn that now,” he states diplomatically, making him roll his eyes.

“I’m willing to give up my bed if its necessary. Hell, if I have to starve so my kingdom can eat, I will. What I’m not going to do is pretend like I’m happy about being forced to marry some girl for the sole purpose of having to impregnate her at some point.”

“Is this because you don’t like her or the fact that she’s a girl?” Baekhyun questions with a laugh, shaking his head and licking at his fingers. “Or is this an Insoo problem?”

“Keep talking and I’ll slit your throat in your sleep,” he warns sternly, having half a mind to just finally punch the elder right in the nose, but he’s sure that would be a declaration of war and well, he likes the warm bed he has right now. “Insoo is just another annoying orphan I have to take care of.”

“An annoying orphan you almost killed Sehun over for calling him your pet,” Baekhyun reasons, making him glare. “It’s none of my business at the end of the day, but, I was serious before. Kings don’t always end up happy,” he says seriously, frowning a bit before shrugging.

Jongin moves to grab one of the honeyed rolls, pursing his lips before deciding against it, not wanting his hands to get all sticky. He looks up when he hears a horn sounding, sharing a confused look with Baekhyun before both Princes leave the kitchens and go towards the front of the palace where its coming from.

He makes his way through the crowd of people before getting annoyed and taking himself there immediately, frowning when he spots what has the royal guards alerting the entire palace. When he squints he sees Minseok, carrying an unconscious Joonmyun on his back, both looking beaten up. His eyes widen, and he immediately rushes over to them, making Minseok flinch back when he’s suddenly in front of him.

“What the hell happened?” he questions quickly, reaching over and grabbing a hold of his cousin when Minseok looks like he’s seconds from passing out himself.

“Found him,” Minseok pants out, his eyes looking unfocused as he wobbles, shaking his head as he tries to right himself. By then several of the guards have rushed over and he can sense Baekhyun there as well.

“Yixing will heal him up, let the guard have him,” Baekhyun comments when someone tries to reach out and he unconsciously growls at them.

He glares but lets them do what they need to, giving them a warning look before he goes back to Minseok who is still panting.

“Where the hell is Insoo?” he questions, being able to smell small traces of the younger boy’s scent on Minseok and the fact that he can’t see him has him on edge.

Minseok shakes his head before he starts coughing, “I lost him.”

“What do you mean you _lost_ him?” he snaps, reaching over and yanking the other male up by his shirt and getting growled at by the elder whose eyes are starting to look unfocused.

“I wasn’t about to let my brother _die_ to go look for him,” Minseok suddenly snaps, shoving him hard enough that he’s actually stunned, eyes widening when the elder’s eyes flash red before he’s grabbing at his head and whimpering.

“Jongin, not right now,” Baekhyun snaps, moving him out of the way and helping Minseok up before ordering a guard to get the other Kim to the medical wing with his brother as soon as possible.

Jongin feels on edge, hands fidgeting at his sides before he turns to follow after Baekhyun, pausing when he feels the ground shake. He blinks rapidly before he looks around, trying to find the source and coming up blank. Its over before it even begins, confusing him as he transports himself to where Baekhyun is supporting a half conscious Minseok.

“Did you feel that?” he questions seriously, getting a confused look from Baekhyun.

“Feel what? Quit playing around and help me. He’s _heavy_ ,” Baekhyun orders and normally he would argue with him, but he just nods his head, frowning as he puts one of Minseok’s arms around his shoulders and decides to get them there quicker the old-fashioned way.

He winces when it seems to be too much and Minseok starts to gag before throwing up on Baekhyun’s shoes, looking up to see the other Prince giving him a glare.

“You have to be ready to make sacrifices if you’re ever going to be a good ruler someday. It’s better you learn that now,” he mimics, shrugging before letting the healer grab Minseok from him.

“Remind me to kill you later,” Baekhyun bites out before he’s stomping out of the room.

 

\--

 

Seulgi adjusts the hood on her head as she walks through the marketplace, trailing behind Kyungsoo and Jongdae slowly. She keeps her eyes trained on the two, trying not to lose sight of them as they go from stand to stand. She really wishes they would have skipped this town and gotten more supplies when they at least passed the border, learning a little too quickly that her blonde hair would get her in trouble the longer they were in the Kim’s territory.

When Kyungsoo stops at a stand she finally catches up to them, eyeing Jongdae who is tugging at his own hood and frowning. Seulgi looks over at what’s caught Kyungsoo’s eye and nearly rolls her eyes. He’s predictable if anything, so she really shouldn’t be surprised.

“Do you even know how to use a sword?” Jongdae mutters, making her snort and give the elder a judging look.

“I’m sure he would _love_ to show you,” she smiles out, laughing when the Kim scowls at her and goes back to glaring at the floor. “I thought we stopped to get food, not swords,” she reasons, getting another annoyed look thrown her way.

“Could get a lot of food if I had a sword,” Kyungsoo reasons, staring a little too long because the merchant catches him looking and beckons him over.

She laughs when Kyungsoo doesn’t have the nerve to turn him down, slowly walking forward and getting an earful about the craftsmanship that went into making them. Kyungsoo is too nice for his own good sometimes and of course listens intently while she watches from further away, Jongdae eventually moving to stand next to her.

“I was surprised when you were still here when I woke up this morning,” she comments honestly, figuring after things got heated he would be gone by the time the morning came. She was more than shocked that when she woke up the next morning Jongdae was acting as nothing had ever happened, sitting next to Kyungsoo who was roasting some fresh fish over a small fire.

“Figured you would have already picked my brain apart by now,” Jongdae replies easily, half shrugging before stretching his arms over his head and yawning.

“I have, but, just because I can read it doesn’t mean I _understand_ it,” she replies quietly, been able to find people that are easy to understand and then others that no matter what they’re thinking, she just doesn’t get it.

“Kyungsoo, he’s easy to understand. I already know what he’s thinking before he does. You have two entirely _different_ thought processes going on in your head. It’s enough to give _me_ a headache, I don’t know how you put up with it,” she says honestly, shaking her head and making sure her hair is hidden well enough.

“He’s been there since I was born, I don’t know. I guess it’s complicated to someone like you,” Jongdae comments, rubbing his nose before sniffling a bit. “Our wolves are just, _there_ , in the background until we shift and then they kind of take the reins. It would be kind of hard to have a completely human thought process going on when you’re hunting down a _rabbit_ ,” he shares, making her face scrunch up.

“That’s disgusting,” she mutters, shaking her head and wanting to roll her eyes when she spots a girl around their age ogling Kyungsoo who is oblivious.

“It’s necessary. I don’t know how it works, I just know it does. He can be annoying sometimes, but not being able to hear him is worse,” Jongdae mutters unhappily, making her momentarily feel bad.

“Oh,” she replies slowly, knowing it has to suck but not wanting to dwell on it long enough that she really feels sorry for him and actually contemplates taking the spell off.

She shakes her head and looks back over at Kyungsoo, impatiently waiting for him to hurry up so they can actually get the food they were planning on getting and leaving the town. She doesn’t want to stay anywhere longer than necessary after what happened back near the village.

“Are you two…a thing?” Jongdae questions suddenly, making her turn to face him and feel completely offended when she realizes the Kim is giving her a judging look.

“Excuse me?” she questions back, turning to fully face the male and giving him a hard look.

“You shared the bed,” Jongdae excuses, looking red in the cheeks as he avoids eye contact.

She laughs, not knowing what is more ridiculous to her at the moment, before she shakes her head.

“Are you a _virgin_ , your highness?” she questions, because men are _predictable_ , if anything and she really doesn’t understand why Kim’s are so prudish.

As expected Jongdae turns bright red, growling at her as the embarrassment sets in.

“That is _none_ of your business!” Jongdae snaps at her, making her laugh as he gives her a nasty glare and stomps his way over towards Kyungsoo who gives the other male a confused look.

She snorts, shaking her head and letting out a sigh, about to walk over herself when she feels a chill go down her spine, the familiar feeling of being watched coming back in full force. The closer to the border they get the more it keeps happening and the more she’s had to try and ignore it. At this point it can’t just be her being paranoid, so she slowly looks around, noting nothing out of the ordinary before she sees a flash of blonde hair.

Frowning she slowly walks over towards Kyungsoo, clearing her throat and trying to remain as calm as possible.

“We need to leave,” she states plainly, giving him a look that leaves no room for arguing.

“Okay,” Kyungsoo replies slowly, looking confused but nodding his head and politely bowing to the merchant who looks unhappy about the lack of a sale but can do nothing about it.

She starts walking towards the end of the market, grabbing Kyungsoo’s arm and making him follow her closely.

“I thought you said witches were banned,” she says quietly to Jongdae who gives her a confused frown.

“They are,” Jongdae replies quickly, walking fast to keep up with them before looking around. “Not in the Jung’s kingdom though and we’re near the border,” he adds on.

Seulgi frowns, because she doesn’t know much about the Jung’s territory at all. This is the first time she’s even ventured this far away from the village. There honestly isn’t a reason to ever really leave other than to do business with some of the nearby villages. That’s all they concern themselves with really, living peacefully ignorant of whatever else is going on in the adjourning kingdoms.

“Do you hear that?” Kyungsoo questions suddenly, halting in his spot and making her stop too, turning to look at him in confusion.

“What?” Jongdae and her both questions unanimously, making her give the other male an annoyed look before turning her attention back towards Kyungsoo. “We need to leave. There’s someone following us, and I don’t want to stick around to figure out _who_ ,” she stresses, moving to turn around before going still.

“Too late,” Jongdae mutters, inching closer to her and Kyungsoo as they stare at the group of guards lined up several feet away, blocking the road.

She swallows thickly, wondering how in the world they all managed to sneak up on them so quickly, turning her head and paling when she sees even more behind them. They’re caged in with nowhere to run.

“You two _seriously_ don’t hear that?” Kyungsoo questions again, making her turn to give him an incredulous look.

“No and it’s not really a good time for you to start hearing things Kyungsoo, we have a problem in front of us in case you have gone _blind_ ,” she all but snaps, which would normally earn her a glare, but the older male looks too confused to even bother.

Seulgi ignores him in opt to start figuring out what Jongdae is thinking, because she’s smart enough to realize they may be in a little bit more trouble than she initially realized. The guards surrounding them are dressed in expensive armor with even more expensive looking leather on top of it and the snake on their crest can’t be good news.  Jongdae is the only one who knows about the actual kingdoms they have lived near their entire lives, so if any of them know what’s going on its going to be him.

Her suspicions are confirmed when she starts to decipher the mess going on in the Kim’s mind, because he’s actually _scared_. The Jung’s aren’t supposed to send any part of the army, royal guard or not, into their territory. They weren’t on the winning side at the end of the war and have been pretty much secluded since then, due to the treaties. Jongdae is seriously wondering if another war is about to break out over this.

“Kyungsoo, I’m going to let our puppy out,” she says slowly, keeping her voice as low as she can so the guards don’t hear her. It’s the only thing she can think of doing, because Jongdae is quick in his wolf form and she really doesn’t want to get captured by these guys.

“Remind me to cuss you out later,” Jongdae mutters, giving her a brief glare.

“I don’t think you should,” Kyungsoo replies, making her and Jongdae turn to give him a confused look, scooting closer together when the guards actually start moving.

“What? We’re about to _die_ for all you know!” she whispers harshly, feeling a familiar pull that has her looking for the blonde-haired girl that’s bound to be behind it.

“This is the quickest way to Ladon,” Kyungsoo informs them, making her share a shocked look with Jongdae who opens his mouth to argue before the guards all move at once, making them both flinch.

She watches them wearily as they part and then move to kneel, two people who look younger than _her_ walking into view. She glares when she spots the blonde-haired girl she spotted briefly before, in a black dress and matching choker with a silver snake falling towards her collar, along with a cape that falls over her shoulders. Her hair is long and pale enough that she doesn’t let herself get hung up on how she couldn’t spot her initially. She’s a powerful for a girl her age, she’s willing to admit that.

“You can take the hood off your highness, no point in hiding,” the boy speaks up, staring at Jongdae who goes stiff before doing as he’s told. “My uncle was surprised to hear a wolf was so close to the border.”

“Bold of your uncle to cross the border just to find out. Does _my_ uncle know you broke the treaty?” Jongdae speaks up sternly, moving forward so she reaches out to grab at his arm, knowing nothing can end well if any of them lose their tempers.

The boys actually smiles, scoffing a little before tilting his head. “Kind of hard to keep track of your Kingdom when you’re not in it.”

“What?” Jongdae questions, sounding just as confused as she feels at the moment, feeling out of the royal loop as to what’s going on.

“Last we heard, after the palace burned down they were heading to Leon. Kind of dumb, don’t you think?” he questions, shrugging before looking towards the girl who has remained silent the entire time.

“What?” Jongdae questions again, this time quieter than before, making her worry.

“I know you would love to explain, but I think Uncle is going to want them brought to him sooner rather than later,” she speaks up, walking forward until she stops in front of them, her eyes never leaving Kyungsoo.

“Why?” the boy before questions exasperatedly, looking a little annoyed.

The girl shrugs, tilting her head before smiling a little. “Because that’s not Do Insoo. It’s his twin brother,” she explains before beckoning the guards over who are too much for any of them to fight off.

Seulgi glares as they’re manhandled to stick their arms out, their wrists bound with thick rope. She doesn’t even have time to process how the girl knew who Kyungsoo is even was, too busy trying to fight off whatever magic is suppressing her own powers. She scowls, trying not to wince when she sees a pair of silver cuffs get clamped over Jongdae’s wrist. The elder whimpers and squeezes his eyes shut as the area immediately starts to turn bright red, burning the skin immediately.

“Is that really necessary?” she questions hotly, tugging at her own restraints and squeezing her eyes shut when she sees the skin start to bleed, not wanting to see how bad it can get. She can’t even reach over and help him, really hating Kyungsoo for wanting to just go along with this.

“Take them off of him. Now,” Kyungsoo speaks up finally, making the boy turn towards him with a sneer before the ground starts to violently shake, throwing everyone off balance and even making the trees start to crack. “Before you piss me off,” Kyungsoo adds on, raising a brow and waiting.

“You heard him Jaehyun,” the girl comments, making Jaehyun start to glare before he does as he’s told, taking the cuffs off Jongdae who whines and immediately moves to try and rub at the area.

“Hurt either one of them and we’re going to have a big problem. Now get out of the way before you make me want to kill you,” Kyungsoo states plainly, shoving past Jaehyun who gapes, and walking towards the girl who looks all too amused. “Are we going to start moving or what?”

The girl nods her head before turning around and leading the way. Seulgi has no choice but to start walking when Kyungsoo starts following after the other blonde-haired girl, frowning and grabbing onto Jongdae’s sleeve to keep him close by at least. The boy is still wincing at the rope now around his wrists irritating the burn marks, looking like he’s in a lot of pain.

“Are you okay?” she questions quietly, turning to give the guard that is pushing her a glare.

“Fine,” Jongdae grunts, shaking his head and slowly walking on his own. “This is a bad idea,” he adds on before growling at the man who tries to push him along. “Might as well tie my own noose at this point.”

“Don’t be dramatic,” she replies, shaking her head and sticking close. “Kyungsoo won’t let us just _die_. He’s right. We were already heading to Ladon anyways, this will just speed things up,” she compromises, not sure if she really trusts all these random guards and the two siblings who have apparently been stalking them for who knows how long.

“King Jung isn’t a huge fan of my family, in case you forgot,” he mutters stubbornly, grumbling before shaking his head. “I should have bailed before I let you both take me into a brothel.”

“Too late for that, your highness,” she replies plainly, snorting when Jongdae gives her a glare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know its been over two months IM SORRY :< my other chaptered fic is nearly complete so once its over and done with ill be moving all my focus on to this fic and hopefully giving yall more frequent updates!!
> 
> also please note that i have rearranged/changed some of the tags for this fic!!!! it was previously tagged as kaisoo, and while kaisoo will eventually appear and have their own story line,,, i feel like the majority of the fic will focus more on the twins journey rather than being solely a romance fic. if you're cool with that great, if not, sorry to cause any confusion :<
> 
> i think its safe to say other ships will briefly appear throughout the fic and i feel like if i tagged them it would spoil some stuff and most of them aren't even more than like a sentence here and there so there's no real point in adding them. but fair warning. just...read the tags lol


	7. 06

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> majority of this chapter is a sort of prologue - featuring the twins dad + uncles fyi before you get hella confused  
> to make it easier before you read:  
> taejung - the twins dad  
> taein - 2nd do son  
> taehoon - 1st born (crowned prince)  
> i changed their names from what i previously had ajksjdskal bc i forgot i even named them already otl ill upload a family tree on the padlet here: https://padlet.com/jjokokomi/p3xy1vpss7xf for both the kims and dos

Taejung stifles a yawn as he boredly leans over the balcony, resting his arms on the railing and blinking slowly as he watches the carriages march up to the castle gates, feeling his lips twitch in annoyance at the bright red banners. The midsummer festival starts tomorrow and as per tradition, the Kim’s along with the Byun’s and Jung’s are invited to the castle to celebrate. It’s one of his favorite times of the year, the festival always being something he’s enjoyed since he was a kid, but he could do without certain royals.

“You think Taehoon will finally burn Kim Donghyun to a crisp this year?” Taein questions curiously, hitting him on the arm and making him roll his eyes.

He turns towards his brother and gives him a look, shaking his head when the elder laughs and smiles down at the carriages. The eldest of them all is like their grandfather, or what Taejung remembers of the man. Stern and to the point. Almost stoic enough you can’t stand him but smart. If he’s the serious one out of them, Taein is the complete opposite, nearly starting wars with whatever comes out of his mouth around the other royals. If he wasn’t so charismatic, he probably would have gotten in real trouble by now.

Kim Donghyun is almost too much like Taehoon, but more obnoxious about it. Taejung thinks he’s snotty and big headed, always having to have the last word. He’s irritating if anything with how cocky he acts. Taehoon never puts up with any of his attitude, always having to put him in place when he gets too mouthy. The rest of the Kim Princes are okay he supposes, but Kim Donghyun really irritates everyone.

“Would be fun to see, but I doubt it,” he replies with a shrug, wiping his forehead with his sleeve and sighing when he hears a knock on his door, probably a servant sent to get them down to the throne room to welcome the guests.

“I guess it’s time to play nice,” Taein sighs out, straightening himself out and dusting his own sleeves off before turning around. “At least Ilwoo and his siblings will be here by tomorrow.”

“If I have to watch you flirt with Jung Gahyeon again this year I _will_ throw up,” he states plainly, nose scrunching up in distaste.

It’s only a matter of time before their parents solidify the arrangement. If Taehoon wasn’t so picky and had a fiancée, then Taein would probably be planning his wedding by now. It’s one of the worst things about being a royal, knowing you’re inevitably supposed to marry someone, whether you want to or not. He chooses to ignore his future predicament.

“One day you’ll find someone that doesn’t irritate you and when you do, I’ll be laughing telling you I told you so.”

Taejung rolls his eyes, not really paying attention to the elder and instead following him in silence. He’s tired and would much rather nap than play host to the Kim princes, but even if it’s his birthday soon, he can never get out of his own princely duties.

They arrive at the throne room probably a little later than they should have, getting a stern look from their father and a disapproving frown from their mother. He tries giving her an apologetic look, hoping she isn’t too upset with them that they’ll hear about it later.

“What took you two so long?” Taehoon questions quietly, turning to give them both an annoyed frown.

“We didn’t want to come,” Taein replies honestly, getting shoved by Taehoon who shakes his head, his silver hair moving along with it. He’s long due for a haircut, Taejung notes to himself.

“God forbid you ever became King,” Taehoon mutters, “You’d never show up anywhere on time.”

“Hey at least I _would_ show up, redhead over here would probably sleep through everything.”

Taejung glares, shoving at Taein who is snickering and reaching over to attempt to hit Taehoon when he laughs too. He flushes when his mother gives him a disapproving look, making him mumble an apology and hitting Taein one last time before putting his hands behind his back when he hears the royal guard announce their guests.

He tunes most of the greetings out and only knows to bow when necessary by paying attention to his brothers. Greetings are always one in the same, so he doesn’t miss out on much, remaining politely quiet and then bowing when King Kim and his wife walk off with his own parents leaving him and his brothers to host the Kim Princes.

“I just realized that you could call Donghyun a son of a bitch and you would _technically_ not be wrong,” Taein whispers, making him choke out a laugh, moving to hit his brother on the arm when he catches the male in question sending a deadly glare their way.

“I can _hear_ you, asshole,” Donghyun barks out, actually growling which makes it that much more hilarious to him and he finds himself clutching his stomach from laughing so hard.

“Oh, I’m aware,” Taein replies easily, shrugging when Taehoon gives him a dry look. “Don’t get your feelings hurt, mister Alpha. It’s a _joke_. I think your mother is lovely.”

“Alpha my ass,” he mutters, shaking his head and frowning when Donghyun actually has the nerve to start marching up to him.

He blinks back his surprise when Taehoon instantly moves in front of him, making Donghyun immediately come to a halt. The Kim Prince glares hard at his brother, actually looking ready to fight him, which isn’t surprising, but he doesn’t think he’s seen the other male get so mad so quickly. Usually it takes a good two or three jokes aimed his way before he finally snaps.

“If you _ever_ think about laying a hand on him, I’ll burn you and your entire pathetic little palace down to the ground, understood?” Taehoon comments sternly, hands glowing a faint red but Taejung can feel the air around them start to heat up, making him fidget uncomfortably.

“Go to hell,” Donghyun barks out, shaking his head and not looking ready to back down until the ground starts to rumble ever so slightly.

“We like the heat,” Taein speaks up, shrugging before waving his hand dismissively at Donghyun, who looks more than offended. “Go play fetch or something, before you piss more than one of us off.”

He flinches when Donghyun lets out a loud growl before stomping out of the throne room, going who knows where. He blinks stupidly as he watches his brother Dongwoon immediately rush after him, leaving the youngest Dongwan standing around awkwardly. The thirteen-year-old has only just started attending these royal events, having been sick majority of his life. He isn’t quite used to how things end up, looking at them with a confused smile.

“I can defend myself,” he mutters eventually, getting a hard look from Taehoon that has him flinching, moving behind Taein who lets out a loud sigh.

“You can’t even manage to fly to the island and back without getting tired,” Taehoon dismisses, making his cheeks flush red. “Don’t start fights you can’t finish,” he adds on for good measure before flicking him on the forehead and leaving the throne room.

“I could have handled him _myself_ ,” he argues stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest before looking over at Dongwan who is staring up at the ceilings with wide eyes.

“You ever ridden a dragon before?” Taein calls out to him, making his eyes go even wider as he shakes his head no. “C’mon then. You’re not that annoying.”

“Are you serious?” he questions, following after his brother and giving the younger Kim boy a tiny glare.

“I’ve always wanted a puppy. Mother always said no when I asked,” Taein replies with a shrug, slinging his arm around both his and Dongwan’s shoulders, making him grunt in annoyance. “So, when do you get the little doodles on your arms?”

“When I turn eighteen,” Dongwan replies quickly, looking like he’s a second from being dragged by Taein who is oblivious, or maybe he just thinks its funny. “The hyung’s said they don’t hurt, but, I think it will,” he rushes out, looking a little too comfortable around them.

Taejung shrugs his brother off of him and walks behind the two, shaking his head and wanting to roll his eyes at how eager Dongwan is to answer anything and everything Taein asks him. Even things that are probably asked out of teasing, he rushes out an answer. If he were in his wolf form his tail would probably be wagging by now and Taejung doesn’t know if that’s just from Taein being, well, _himself_ or something else.

He knows the first wolves served his family, having a bonded pair with a dragon. That was hundreds of years ago though, when there was only one kingdom his family had complete control over all of it. Civil wars were inevitable, and the kingdoms ended up being split by all the original families that could shift into their own respective animal.

He’s heard stories about it, knowing that one of his great, great, great, or so, relatives was supposed to be married to a Kim. He eloped with a commoner, something the Kim’s didn’t take lightly and was one of the turning points that started the actual war. He doesn’t think a wolf and a dragon have bonded since then.

This definitely isn’t that, he argues with himself, frowning as he watches Dongwan excitedly talk to his brother. Taein is just likeable, everyone worships the ground he walks on. That’s it.

 

\--

 

Drakon is beautiful in the summer, especially around the summer solstice. The skies fill up in bright pinks and subtle oranges, with bright blues and purples during sunset, the scorching temperatures dropping dramatically into a nice chill to make up for the rest of the day. It’s one the biggest distinctions that you know you’re in the south. If you’re burning up during the day but freezing cold during night.

During the midsummer festival the castle town is decked out in vibrant shades of red, yellow and royal purple, to represent the royal family. His own clothing is dyed a deep plum color, accented with a single silver chain running across his chest diagonally, being held up by a pin of the family crest that also pins the hood that is currently covering his head. It’s a little too hot for a cloak, with the sun still out, but it hides his crown and majority of his face, so he can walk around town without getting noticed and bombarded.

Not that he doesn’t enjoy the perks of being royalty, but during the festival he likes just being able to blend into the crowd. It’s not a luxury he’s allowed to have being a Prince, so he enjoys the little moments he gets to be invisible. When they go into town any other time it’s all gawking and deep bows, people keeping their distance and admiring from afar.

During the festival he can wear a cloak without standing out, blending in with the rest of the villagers who often are wearing their own brightly colored ones. He pauses mid step to let some children run past him, shaking his head as he watches them chase after some chickens that must have gotten loose.

He continues walking around the center of the village, basking in the cool autumn wind as he slowly makes his way around. He smiles slightly when he sees the fire pits, walking over and watching as the man uses his magic to make the fire change colors, dancing around above their heads into shapes that tell out the same story they tell every year.

He stands behind a group of kids, looking in awe as the normally orange flames turn bright blue and fade into green and then purple, forming into three dragons along with a mountain. It’s how their world was even made, from dragons that were birthed from the sun gods and the old volcano from the island south of the edge of Drakon.

They formed the land themselves, between all three of them. Everything after that is where it gets messy, different versions of the same old tales. Witches and magic and more dragons and lions and wolves. Snakes. Whatever the version, doesn’t matter. They all have one thing in common.

Taejung watches with a frown as the flames burst a little too much, flaring too close to the villagers who gasp and move back. The man controlling them looks a little surprised as well, continuing with his hands glowing a faint blue, but it’s obvious he’s not the one in control anymore as the flames lose their shape and start to burst out.

It happens in spurts and he doesn’t really react when they come straight towards him, only becoming surprised when someone grabs his cloak from behind and yanks him backwards, the flames just missing him as he’s moved out of range. He frowns as he turns around, spotting a girl who is looking more confused than concerned at this point.

“No one said you could touch me,” he states plainly out of habit, getting an offended look for it.

“The fire was about to _hit_ you. You owe me a _thank you_ ,” she argues hotly, giving him a glare, which is new. He’s not used to girls actually glaring at him unless it’s his mother.

He lifts a brow, not sure if he’s impressed by her gall or thinks she’s stupid for not knowing who she’s talking to. He takes off his hood, which reveals his crown and has an immediate effect of people bowing to their knees, the girls face paling a bit. Although, she’s already light skinned, definitely not from the south.

“It’s just fire,” he replies honestly, not the least bit effected, watching as the girl next to her yanks her down so she’s bowing too.

He sighs as he turns around, spotting the magician whose blood has all but drained from his face as he realizes _who_ he almost caught on fire. He immediately rushes to go into a full bow, spluttering his apologies, ready for whatever punishment he sees fit. It has his lips twitching in annoyance, having to stop himself from actually sighing out loud when he sees guards rushing towards him, as if he was ever in any real danger.

“It’s fine. It was an accident,” he states diplomatically, turning back around and looking down at the girl.

She has a deep green cloak on, hiding most of her pitch-black hair but Taejung spots a blonde strip running down the side of her head, which is interesting enough. She’s wearing black leather gloves, which is unusual for the summer, with the heat being so mad majority of the day. He feels himself flush when she gives him an unimpressed look, realizing he’s been staring too long.

“This girl pulled me back before it hit me. You can gift her whatever she wants, as a thank you,” he comments quickly before turning around, waving his hand and dismissing the guards to attend to her as he makes his escape.

He unfortunately manages to run into Taein soon after, the elder having a knowing smile on his face and a smiling girl on his arm.

“Look at you, gifting random northern girls _whatever they want_ ,” his brother comments loudly, slinging an arm around his shoulder and making Gahyeon start to laugh behind her hand.

“How do you manage to know everything?” he says tiredly, shoving his brother off of him and giving him a glare.

“It certainly helps when you’re watching from afar,” Taein replies easily, continuing to smile at him which irritates him to no end. “She was pretty, for someone that isn’t Gahyeon,” he says smoothly, getting a little half glare from his girlfriend.

“She looked ready to kill me,” he states plainly, refusing to meet his brothers’ eyes or even think about what she looked like.

“I’m sure she was just embarrassed,” Gahyeon speaks up with a laugh, her light brown hair getting in her face as the wind blows. “You should have talked to her more.”

“For what,” he replies plainly, giving her a look that has his brother looking ready to hit him. “She’s from up _North_ ,” he adds on as an afterthought, a little confused when he thinks about her accent. Maybe she lives in the border towns close to Ladon.

“Regardless, you should really learn to talk to women before mother and father start planning dates for you,” Taein comments with a laugh, making him suppress a groan.

“Don’t joke about that,” he mutters, shaking his head before deciding he’s had enough with Taein for the night. “I’m going to ignore you for the rest of the night. Have fun,” he dismisses, quickly turning around and leaving before Taein decides he wants to pick on him some more.

He walks around slowly, passing the time by snacking on the foods the many merchants have out for the festival. There’s a lot more fish this year than he would like, sticking to the dessert foods like dragon fruit tarts and candied figs. He manages to get a hold of a pitcher of ale, boredly listening to a higher lord in the village talk if only to be polite.

He gets distracted when he spots a familiar green hood, watching as the girl from earlier stands near one of the stands giving away honeyed rolls. He watches her for a bit before deciding he’s done listening to a potential proposition involving a trade route of some kind. That should be Taehoon’s problem, not his.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he interrupts, knowing they won’t, rather, _can’t_ tell him anything and they don’t. He bows his head a little before walking over towards the girl, taking note that the other girl from before isn’t by her side anymore.

“What did you get?” he questions loudly, blinking back his surprise when she twitches, nearly dropping her roll.

He tries his hardest not to laugh, feeling his lips twitch which earns him a familiar glare. She lets out a loud sigh, rolling her eyes before holding her arm out, showing off a silver bracelet with little gemstones twined into the metal with a dangling moon charm hanging from it. It looks expensive, if his memory serves him right, they don’t go for cheap from the welder whose wife makes jewelry.

“Fire really doesn’t bother you?” she questions curiously, pulling at her bread and taking a bite before giving him an expectant look.

He frowns a little, choosing not to address the lack of manners by not addressing him by his _title_. She’s obviously not from around here, so he supposes it would be more trouble than it’s worth to bring it to her attention.

“Burns my clothes, not me,” he replies with a shrug, never actually having to explain it to anyone. Everyone knows that dragons were _born_ from fire, the thought of it hurting them doesn’t make any sense. His dragon in particular can create lava, which makes it even more ridiculous that she’s asking.

“Isn’t that a little troublesome?” she questions some more, licking her fingers off before putting her gloves back on, making his nose twitch a little at the leather smell.

“I guess,” he replies, shrugging before looking away when he hears an influx of music playing, squinting as he stares out into the middle of the town where the dragon fountain is. “What’s with the gloves?” he questions, turning back around and looking down at her hands, where she’s adjusting them.

“I don’t know you well enough to reply to that,” she says honestly, giving him a dismissive look that has him frowning.

“I’m never going to see you again after this, so does it matter?” he replies, moving aside when some more children start getting a little rowdy and running nearby.

“Fine,” she huffs, shaking her head and crossing her arms over her chest. “I see things. When I touch people.”

Taejung feels his brows furrow, staring at her curiously before forming a reply. “What kind of things?” he questions further, spotting his mother and father from afar and suppressing a sigh knowing he can’t be caught talking to girls without them starting to _plot_ something.

“Depends on the person,” she replies quietly, looking lost in thought. Taejung doesn’t know what to say to that, still not sure he understands what she’s talking about. “You don’t think that’s odd?”

“It would be odd if you wore them for no reason at all,” he comments, shrugging before deciding he’s bound to get spotted the longer he stands in one spot. “I have to go now,” he announces, glancing at her before looking away when he sees she’s giving him a look he’s not sure if he likes.

“My sister is probably looking for me anyways,” she dismisses, making him nod once before turning around, giving her one last look before walking away.

He purses his lips before letting out a tired sigh, going towards the edge of town where he can spot the rest of his family, Taehoon looking a little too bored out of his mind. Taein at least seems to be enjoying the festivities, which makes one of them. The sun is slowly setting and soon they’ll be lighting the fire for the paper lanterns that will light up the sky.

He sighs tiredly as he heads west, away from the town and towards the beach. It’s a bit of a walk on foot, but he enjoys the silence. It’ll be too dark to fly to the islands with the sun going down and if he even tries a search party will probably be called at some point, but he’s always enjoyed the sounds of the ocean. When he finally makes it to the shoreline he takes off his boots, tossing them away from where the tide will get them and soaks his feet, his head snapping up when he hears a sniffle.

He frowns when he spots Kim Dongwan sitting alone in the middle of beach, curled up with his knees pulled to his chest. When he fails to even spot a guard with the youngest Kim prince he slowly makes his way over, growing uncomfortable when he realizes he’s crying. The closer he gets it becomes evident why, a big red gash on his lower arm.

“Who did that to you?” he questions sternly, kneeling down and wincing at the gashes that look too much like claw marks.

“Father. Shouldn’t have talked out of turn,” Dongwan replies tiredly, like he’s used to it.

Taejung glares at nothing in particular, biting his lip as he looks around, knowing the closest healer is probably back in town and by then, the Kim’s arm will already be healed up. It’s not worth the trip but still, it must hurt.

“You Kim’s are fucked in the head,” he states sternly, making Dongwan shrug indifferently, too conditioned to think anything else.

He’s heard stories from the Jung’s, about exactly _how_ the Kim’s keep everyone in the pack in line. He didn’t think that meant direct heirs. He sighs as he sits next to the boy, looking out at the water if only to not stare at the mark on Dongwan’s arm. His own arm stings just thinking about it.

“Taein is going to marry Jung Gahyeon, you know that right,” he says tiredly, looking down at the younger male who slowly nods his head, letting out a disgruntled little growl. “You bonded with him, didn’t you?” he questions quietly, surprised when Dongwan stiffly nods his head, curling into himself even more.

“You can’t tell anyone,” Dongwan mutters, shaking his head before letting out a frustrated groan. “If father finds out… You can’t tell anyone,” he emphasizes, so he nods his head, not dumb enough to even think about it.

It hasn’t happened in so long, it would only cause everyone trouble. The Kim’s and his family don’t exactly see eye to eye on a lot of things these days. Their relationship is rocky at best, the fact that his family would have the upper hand on this whole predicament would make them feel trapped and that definitely would lead to nothing good.

“What are you going to do?” he questions seriously, not knowing that much about bonding between dragons, let alone wolves. It’s such an old concept that hasn’t happened in so long, they don’t even bother learning about it. He’s sure there are texts in the libraries, but it would take an eternity to find what he’s looking for.

“Ignore it.”

Taejung frowns, unsure if Dongwan even has the capacity with how willing he was to follow Taein around like a puppy earlier in the day.

“What does it feel like?” he questions curiously. Most people don’t even feel a fraction of what bonded pairs feel with one another, from what little he does know. He honestly doesn’t see himself falling in love with anyone, already succumbed to the idea that he’ll most likely end up a marriage that’s nothing but political.

“Hell,” Dongwan mutters darkly before getting up and walking away without another word, probably wanting to be alone.

Taejung frowns before he moves to lie down, staring up at the sky until it turns dark and he can see the first of the lanterns. The sand turns cold and he shivers as he hears a shrill noise from further out in the sea, sitting up slowly and trying not to let his mind wander to all those stupid storied Taehoon would tell him about sea witches when they were kids.

He gets up when he hears it again, dusting himself off and walking over towards his boots, shaking the sand out as best he can before slipping them back on. He takes his cloak off, unpinning the chain at his shoulder to shake it off, hoping to get as much as sand off of himself before he makes it back up to the village.

 

\--

 

His birthday falls on the last day of the festival this year, the actual summer solstice. It’s the longest day of the year, with the sun staying out later than normal, generally making it one of the hottest days of the year. As he grew up, he was always told the stories about how the heat triggered his mother to go into labor, unable to handle it.

He was born midday in the castle’s infirmary, barely crying to the point that it worried the physician. On his fifth birthday he was gifted his family crest in the form of his necklace around his neck, with a circlet to match. Both made of pure silver, as per tradition. When his brothers have children, they’ll be gifted the same, as will his own. But he tries not to think that too far out.

When he wakes up the sun is just rising, his room still being cool from the night as he dresses for the day. Leaving his room, he stifles a yawn, rubbing his eyes as he tiredly makes his way through the castle halls to get to the stairwell, so he can go get breakfast.

It’s still early in the day that it isn’t that warm in the castle yet, but he still wears one of his lighter pieces of clothing. He opted out of wearing something with sleeves, sticking to a lighter shade of purple for the day so he isn’t drenched in sweat when the important parts of the festival commence.

He groans when he spots his brothers waiting for him, identical looks on their faces that has him turning back around. Of course, they rush up to him, an arm slinging around his shoulder and turning him right back around.

“Not so fast little brother,” Taein comments, all but dragging him towards the castle doors. “We’re going on a trip.”

“I haven’t even eaten yet,” he argues, not wanting to deal with them until he’s had his regular serving of sausage and jammed bread. He needs something in his stomach for him to be able to tolerate their nonsense.

“We’ll eat when we get to the island,” Taehoon dismisses, shoving both him and Taein forward so that they stumble.

He turns around to give him a glare but immediately gets dragged along by Taein who starts whistling. He gives polite smiles to the guards and servants they pass, all bowing and wishing him a happy birthday as they make it out of the castle and outside. The wind is blowing, already cooling him down as they make it down the gravel path leading up to the castle.

“Aren’t we supposed to be hosting someone or another?” he questions tiredly, leaning a little on his brother as they trek down the hill.

“Yes,” Taehoon says before picking up his pace, making him come to a halt, trying to catch up to what they’re doing.

“Father does know where we’re going, right?” he questions slowly, eyes widening when he hears an all too familiar horn sounding from the knight’s tower, making him turn towards his brothers and gape as they start dashing towards the beach.

“Last one to the island has to deal with father!” Taein shouts, making him snap out of his stupor and start running.

He breaks into a sprint immediately, not wanting to deal with his father who is bound to lecture them for as long as he can once they get caught. He shoves Taein on the way past him, laughing when the elder stumbles and ends up falling flat on his side as they hit the beach. He reaches into his hair and tugs off his circlet tossing it on the beach before pulling his shirt off.

He stumbles attempting to take off his pants, kicking off his boots because he’ll be damned if they make it back to the beach on their own and he has nothing to wear back up to the castle. Taehoon seems to come to the same conclusion as him when he looks up, his own circlet getting tossed before he continues to strip. He snorts when Taein finally stumbles onto the beach, looking ready to kill him so he rushes to shift, glad that his dragon doesn’t put up a fight and makes the process go by quicker.

He immediately soars up and heads towards the island, looking down and spotting Taehoon’s dragon flying closer to the water, his white scales shimmering in the sunlight before he dives under the water before coming up with a big splash. He lets out a puff of air, ignoring the elder showing off and speeding up when he hears Taein’s dragon roar from behind him, not wanting to get knocked into the water.

He flies up as high as he can, passing through the clouds which cools him down a little, knowing Taein likes to stay as close to the ground as he can. If it didn’t take such a long time, he probably would burrow under the ground and get to the island that way. He starts to nose dive when he gets closer to the island, growing tired from the lack of food in his stomach before he shifted.

His dragon makes a disapproving noise in the back of his mind, wanting to _eat_ , but he isn’t about to traumatize himself again by finding a goat or something. He’ll just have to hope his brothers weren’t dumb enough to do all this without planning beforehand. He really doesn’t want to have to eat fish if he can help it.

Taehoon arrives at the island first, his dragon standing out against the black sand before he shifts back to his human form. Taejung lands far enough away so he doesn’t get sand on the elder, knowing he isn’t against putting him in a headlock for it. He hesitates to shift back, knowing nudity isn’t a problem, but preferring to be covered when he’s on the beach.

He slowly walks over towards his brother, looking towards the large whicker basket sitting higher up from the shoreline. He looks up when he feels the ground start to shake violently, barely having time to fly out of the way as Taein lands with a loud roar that hurts his ears.

“Quit being dramatic,” Taehoon scolds, giving Taein a harsh glare despite how unmatched they are right now.

Taein towers over him, past the tops of the trees growing further away that cover up the island. Taehoon is just barely the size of either of their feet in his human form. Even him, despite his smaller size because he has yet to reach his full peak in his dragon form, could probably squish the elder just by stepping on him. He lets out a puff of smoke through his nose, keeping his distance from Taehoon whose emerald colored eyes are tracking every movement.

“Do you want to eat or not?” Taehoon speaks up loudly, having put on a pair of pants and pulled out actual food.

Taejung immediately moves to shift back, ignoring the protesting from his dragon who feels like they haven’t been let out long enough. He’ll just have to shift again later, not liking the nagging he has to put up with or the ache in his bones from it. He catches the pants Taehoon throws at him and looks over at Taein who is still giving him a petty glare before he sighs and runs his fingers through his ash brown hair.

“You’re lucky it’s your birthday,” Taein grumbles, being the sore loser that he is and sitting down with a loud thud. “Father is going to kill me.”

“Better you than me,” Taehoon replies uncaringly, shrugging as he dips his bread into a jar of jam. “One step closer to the crown for you,” he adds on in his direction, making him frown.

“Please don’t joke like that,” he says quietly, biting the inside of his cheek as he stares at the food Taehoon managed to get to the island.

He hates to even think about the tiny possibility of him ever wearing his fathers crown. Taehoon was _born_ to be King, having the mind for it even when they were younger. Taein, although a bit too careless at times, wouldn’t make a bad King either. He doesn’t want there ever to be a reason neither of them is sitting on the throne.

“You know you’re stuck with us, right?” Taein says seriously, reaching into the basket and pulling something wrapped in a white linen cloth, tossing it towards him and causing him to fumble a bit.

He opens it up and smiles appreciatively at the candied figs, grabbing one and taking a bite of it, closing his eyes at the sweet taste. He chews slowly, nodding his head and giving them an appreciative smile. He scoots closer, laughing as Taein attempts to open the bottle of wine they managed to snag from the cellars.

He pauses when he hears a whisper, making him turn his head and look towards the forest, brows furrowing as he squints. When he doesn’t see anything he turns away, about to ask for some of the meat when he hears it again, making him frown.

“Did you hear that?” he questions quietly, looking at his brothers who give him confused glances.

“Hear what?” Taehoon replies, not seeming concerned as he all but drinks from straight from the bottle of wine before handing it over to Taein who takes a large gulp before passing it on to him.

He stares at the bottle before taking a small sip, still preferring ale over wine but its better than sea water, he supposes. “Nothing,” he dismisses, shrugging and ignoring how loud his dragon is being when he’s normally so quiet. It’s probably nothing he thinks as he takes another drink.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think this is the first time ??? ive written a whole chapter of something without kyungsoo or jongin in it.... shook. but some background info is important before we get back to our little orphan princes. i hope this sort of explains some stuff but i think it may just leave you with more questions otl
> 
> but there will be at least one other sort of interlude later on in the fic that will feature the twins dad and their mom... it may take more than one more past part so that we get to where theyre actually born and explain all that ... idk ... but comments are nice to read ya know ;; anywho i gotta go mentally prepare for end game tomorrow so \o


	8. 07

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> whispers and peonies.

Joohyun doesn’t really remember when her mother brought Kyungsoo home. She was only a year old, going to be turning two that spring. It was in the middle of winter, during a snowstorm she thinks, if she recalls what vague memories she has of it. Memories that might not even be real, all made up from whatever imagination she has. She just knows her mother was gone for over a week, then came back with a baby, Kyungsoo.

Joohyun only remembers growing up and hating having him around half the time. Kyungsoo always got the attention directed at him, for being younger than her. Her mother wasn’t mean, of course she would never ignore Kyungsoo just because he wasn’t hers. She treated him like her son. There were times that she hated him for showing up, but she could never feel that way for long. Kyungsoo never did anything wrong, always quietly following after her or her mother.

They grew up together, attached at the hip, although not really by choice. Her mother _always_ made her keep an eye on Kyungsoo, even though he’s always been perfectly capable of taking care of himself. When they were children it became routine to snatch Kyungsoo by the hand when he tried to wander off, knowing her mother would scold her if she ever let him out of her sight. As teenagers it became even more annoying to be told to watch after him, seeing as how he wasn’t exactly a child anymore.

Even on her deathbed, her mother told her she had to take care of the younger boy, who was never quite her brother, but the closest thing she ever had to a sibling. She told her she would, even though she knew the last thing Kyungsoo wanted was her acting like his mother. So far she’s kept that promise, no matter how much it irritates her to still be watching over an adult.

Now that she knows who Kyungsoo is, who he _really_ is, she understands her mother’s constant pestering. She just wishes that were enough for her not to be _furious_ with her mother for hiding it from her, but it’s not. Her entire life her mother not _once_ mentioned anything about a twin. She barely mentioned her aunt, Kyungsoo’s mother but that was understandable.

She was her sister, her only sister and she _lost_ her. Joohyun understood that. Kyungsoo understood that she didn’t like talking about her, no matter how much he would beg to know what his own mother was like when he was little. Eventually, he just stopped asking. It was understandable, then, at least.

Joohyun doesn’t understand _this_. Her mother was never a liar. She taught them to never lie, always scolding them whenever they even tried.

She doesn’t have time to really deal with the weight that her mothers’ secrets has on her now though, pressing her hand harder against Insoo’s mouth when he whimpers, trying to silence him as much as she can. She’s barely breathing at this point as they hide in the caves that lead out of the village with the boy who she managed to grab out of the way before he actually got hurt worse than he is now. His hand is broken, bent in a way that would make even her let out a pained noise, but that can’t afford that right now.

The village is nothing but _flames_ in the distance, worrying her down to her bones for her friends and the children but she can’t move, can’t let the men in the distance see or hear them. She can’t make out much in the moonlight, but she sees their dark leather and knows that sigil she saw on their chests briefly before getting Insoo out of Kyungsoo’s room.

She’s seen them before, in passing villages as her and on occasion Hyoyeon and Yoona take part in trade deals. Rebellions are inevitable when you overthrow a kingdom by slaughtering an entire family, the Do’s still have people that remember that, even after all this time. Joohyun knows the stories, having been taught in countless lessons from her mother. Lessons she never let Kyungsoo sit in on. Now she's knows why.

The black coats were never a bother to them. They knew they were against the Kim’s, they didn’t care, it had nothing to do with them. They traded with them because it was beneficial to both parties, turned a blind eye to the weapons they were supplying because it didn’t _matter_. Their village was hidden, safe from men, safe from wars. The reason it was founded was to be a safe haven from all the royal houses and their petty wars. It’s always been safe. Until recently.

She doesn’t know what they want but she has a good idea, tightening her grip on Insoo when one of them glances towards the cave where they’re at. He doesn’t seem that interested before he talks to the soldier next to him, the two of them eventually walking towards the village. She glares when she sees their hands glow bright red, flames spurting out and doing more than enough damage to burn the village down to the ground.

She loosens her grip and wipes her hand on her leg, frowning as she walks around and sees that the boy is crying as he holds his damaged arm to his chest. It already looks bluish purple under the moonlight, making her wince before she reaches for it, immediately getting glared at, making her halt.

She’s seen the look so many different times directed at her by Kyungsoo, making her frown a bit. She’s rarely seen Kyungsoo cry, even when they were children he hardly ever cried once he was old enough to talk. She remembers hating seeing him cry the first time he got stung by a wasp, having to give him her share of the peaches they had for dessert that night. She doesn’t know how to feel seeing the same look in another boys’ eyes.

“If you don’t fix it now, you might as well let me cut it off,” she says quietly, reaching over and letting out a deep breath as Insoo complies, looking uneasy as she grabs hold of the joint and without a warning, bends it back into place.

Insoo wisely doesn’t make a noise, only a pained whimper before he leans forward a little, making her catch him as he starts breathing heavily. She holds him up, letting him gather his bearings before clearing her throat.

“We need to find Kyungsoo and soon,” she mutters, making Insoo move away and wipe at his face.

He looks exhausted and Joohyun can’t blame him, seeing as how he probably hasn’t slept well since before any of this started. He probably isn’t even used to sleeping on the floor, growing up in a palace and it makes her feel a little bit less sympathetic.

“Minseok,” Insoo starts, looking towards the village before deflating a little and shaking his head.

“He’s probably long gone by now and if he’s smart, he won’t come looking for you. He should be more worried about his family,” she comments quietly, knowing that if the black coats are starting to finally act, it means they have the resources they need to start a real rebellion.

“He’s a _bastard_ , they hardly think of him as family,” Insoo mutters, shaking his head as he looks down.

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t know what those men want with you, but if they’re willing to burn down an entire village, I doubt it’s anything good,” she replies, grabbing a hold of the boy’s arm and starting to drag him out of the cave.

Insoo wisely complies, walking with her and letting out a tired sigh. Joohyun ignores him, looking up at the stars and remembering their placement and which direction she needs to go next. The Jung’s are the only safe option at this point, knowing that they stayed isolated after the war and a rebellion is not going to start with them. The black coats are more likely to start heading south to Leon and even further down to Drakon. Ladon is out of the way of the crossfire and is the only safe place she can think of now.

Not to mention, if she knows her cousin like she thinks she does, then that’s where he’ll be too. She knows Kyungsoo and the second he finds out what the war really meant, he isn’t going to just sit still. Insoo can’t know that now though, unsure of how close he is to the Kim’s and where his loyalty lies.

“What about the villagers,” Insoo questions suddenly, making her halt and take a deep breath, turning around and giving him a hard look.

“They know how to take care of each other,” she states sternly, not wanting to think about it for too long, because then she’ll want to go back and make sure they’re all alright. It hurts her not knowing if her friends are okay, what’s going on. But she made a promise to her mother and she intends to keep it.

“But,” Insoo starts, making her glare, not caring if she hurts him when she grabs his arm and starts to yank him into following her.

“Going back is _not_ an option,” she snaps, cutting him off from whatever he was about to say.

Insoo frowns, his nose scrunching up in a manner too similar to Kyungsoo’s when he’s about to start _really_ fighting her on something, but he’s not his brother. He nods his head and stays quiet, choosing to start walking on his own, leaving her to follow.

“We need to get to Ladon as quickly as possible,” she shares, knowing it’s going to be hard without any sort of supplies or even money, but she’s survived worse.

“Kyungsoo is there,” Insoo says quietly, making her frown and turn to look at the younger male in confusion.

“How do you know that?” she questions, eyeing the boy who is starting to fidget, his hurt hand still pulled against his chest.

“I mean, he’s probably there. It’s where I was going at least,” he trails off before shrugging, making her roll her eyes.

“Good to know,” she replies plainly, letting out a tired sigh, knowing traveling on foot is not going to pleasant.

 

\--

 

Jongdae’s wrists are throbbing painfully, the roughness of the rope tying them together irritating the cracked skin from the metal earlier, making it impossible for it to heal up properly. Normally, his skin heals quicker than most, one of the best parts of being part wolf. Its old magic, from the first wolves that needed the speedy process to avoid anything being completely fatal. Generally, when he gets hurt, it only lasts briefly, his body readily healing itself up in an abnormal time. Unless he’s sick, nothing really bothers him for too long.

He glares at the back of the guard’s heads, wanting to glare in Kyungsoo’s direction too, where the other male is walking freely, kicking rocks as they follow along the last of the trail that will lead them towards the castle town of Ladon. If he pays enough attention he can see that Kyungsoo isn’t even touching the rock he’s been kicking for the past five or so miles, merely flicking his finger or kicking his foot in it's direction to get it moving.

At least he’s a quick learner, something that will definitely be important the second they walk into the Jung’s castle. King Jung doesn’t care for his family for obvious reasons, and there hasn’t been any unnecessary contact from their crown to his own since the war ended. That doesn’t mean his father didn’t tell him all about the Jung’s growing up. They were still a threat, whether or not they were in contact with them.

The war left the Jung’s in bad shape, considering that once the Do’s were killed off, a lot of their armies crumbled with no real King to follow and the Jung’s followed suit. Majority surrendered or were killed for refusing to, from what he understands. Many of them didn’t have a choice, the entire kingdom of Drakon was quickly taken over by their army along with the Byun’s. The Jung’s retreated and weren’t really heard from since.

The castle town looks like the war never reached it, busting with activity and curious crowds near the edges of the roads watching them. He feels thankful for his genetics for once, not being recognized as a Kim due to the lack of grey hair resting on top of his head. He merely gets gawked at, curious and confused looks cast his direction. The same goes for Seulgi who doesn’t seem bothered, paying attention to the back of Kyungsoo’s head from where he is further along in front of them.

He doesn’t seem the least bit bothered to being surrounded by people that are openly staring at him. Jongdae still feels on edge despite not being recognized and spit at like he was expecting, sticking close to Seulgi who is muttering under her breath so quietly that he doesn’t understand. The Jung’s castle is nowhere as big as any of the other kingdom’s, but it holds its own beauty he supposes. A long bridge connects it to the main town, a flowing river underneath that streams to the edges of the kingdom to the sea.

“I’ve never been in a castle before,” Seulgi shares as they get closer to the gates, Kyungsoo nearly impossible to see at this point, making him scold himself for not paying attention.  

“It’s not much to get excited about,” he replies easily, on edge and hating how dulled his senses are without his wolf to help him.

“Says a _Prince_ ,” Seulgi mutters, making him move to give her a little glare as she looks around in awe as they finally enter.

The guards move to spread out, lining up along the pathway that goes straight forward to the throne room. Jongdae has never been inside the Jung’s castle but he’s surprised to see that the throne room is right in the middle, only a wide room that leads to other parts of the castle presumably in the entrance.

Jinsoul leads them into the throne room where a man stands in front of the King, seemingly arguing with him over something. Jongdae can’t hear too well, but he spots the crown on the other male’s head and recognizes him by his height. The crowned prince, with his younger brother standing off to the side. Jung Haein turns towards them when he hears a guard announcing the return of Jinsoul and Jaehyun, making Jung Yunho turn as well, a small glare on his face.

Jongdae freezes a little when he sees King Jung, the elder sitting on his throne unbothered, the crown on his head gleaming in the sunlight. He looks impassive until he looks past his niece and nephew, his eyes widening a little when he spots someone behind them. Kyungsoo.

Jinsoul and Jaehyun kneel following the guards and Jongdae hesitantly follows, resisting the urge to remain standing. He knows better than to play with fire, already not in a good stance being here in the first place. He has to tread carefully, and he tugs Seulgi’s elbow, signaling for her to bend down as well.

She does so with a frown on her face, probably not really understanding the implications of bending a knee to someone who isn’t really your King. Jongdae doesn’t bow his head, not being required to fully since he’s from the royal family. He’s never been told to bow to anyone other than his uncle, one day he’ll bow to Jongin. Never to a Jung.

Although he has his reasons, he can’t help but gape a little at Kyungsoo who remains standing, seeming to miss all the social clues around him, including the offended glare Prince Yunho is sending his way for disrespecting his father. He actually looks ready to scold him for it when King Jung stands up, getting off his throne and walking forward.

Jongdae watches silently, confused about the look on King Jung’s face as he approaches Kyungsoo who has gone rigid in his place. Jongdae can see how tense he is as King Jung gets closer before he stops, several feet in front of him, ignoring his niece and nephew who remain bowed. Jongdae keeps his eyes trained on Kyungsoo’s hands, noticing how they’re fidgeting at his side and the rubble near his feet is shaking.

When King Jung smiles Jongdae fidgets in his spot, watching the King’s hands and fighting the urge to actually get up when he touches the side of Kyungsoo’s face. He fights down a growl, slowly getting up and starting to move when someone grabs a hold of his cloak, making him look down at Seulgi who shakes her head.

“When I heard that Taejung had a child, I had my doubts but, you look just like your father,” King Jung comments, stepping back and looking nostalgic before he looks over at him. “And a Kim trailing after you. Perhaps you’re more like your uncle.”

Jongdae glares, about to retort that he isn’t _trailing_ after anyone when Seulgi tugs his arm again, shaking her head and giving him a look. He scowls as he stands there, watching as King Jung greets his niece and nephew, telling them to stand and asking how their trip was and wanting details.

“Your majesty, he isn’t Insoo,” Jinsoul shares, getting a questioning look as Haein walks closer and starts circling Kyungsoo who doesn’t seem to appreciate it, following the elder with his eyes and a glare. “Twins,” Jinsoul explains, earning a surprised look from King Jung and two more from the princes.

“Are you certain?” King Jung questions, dismissing the guards that are still kneeling and walking over towards him.

“Positive,” Jinsoul replies earnestly, following her uncle and giving him a glance before looking over at Seulgi, who has remained kneeling an unsure look on her face.

“A lone wolf is never a good thing,” King Jung comments, eyeing him impassively before lifting his brow. “I’m sure your father is worried about you and yet, here you are.”

Jongdae fidgets uncomfortably, not having anything to reply with because he still isn’t sure what he’s doing makes any sense either. He should be trying his hardest to get back home to his mother, who is probably distraught and his father, who has already lost one son too soon. He chooses to remain quiet, knowing silence is better than saying the wrong thing and getting himself locked up. He’s no use to anyone being locked in a cell.

“The girl?” King Jung questions, beckoning for Seulgi to get up. She does so slowly, looking warily at the man and then casting an even more apprehensive look towards Jinsoul. She doesn’t trust her still, Jongdae knows that much.

“With Kyungsoo when we found him. A friend,” Jinsoul replies easily, shrugging nonchalantly and giving her brother an annoyed look when he walks up to them.

Jongdae frowns when they start speaking in heavily accented _Drakonian_ , not fluent enough to try and keep up. He rarely heard it spoken growing up in the palace and what little he did learn was probably from bad pronunciation and slowly spoken. He feels uneasy as he looks over at Seulgi who is looking equally confused, making him frown and hoping she can at least read their minds, so they aren’t left completely in the dark.

They seem to agree on something before Jaehyun is dismissed and Haein follows after him. Jinsoul remains in the room as well as Crowned Prince Yunho, still looking at them with distrust in his eyes. Jongdae feels the same, already trying to figure out how he’s going to get out of this palace alive at this rate. Right now, he isn’t a threat, but they don’t know that.

“If you aren’t Insoo, then exactly where have you been hiding for the past twenty years?” King Jung questions, his head tilting curiously as Kyungsoo clears his throat.

“Hidden,” is all Kyungsoo says, wisely not giving away anything more. Jongdae is glad he isn’t _that_ stupid. “I’m just as surprised as you are to know I have a twin.”

King Jung nods his head, moving back to his throne, crossing his arms as he looks at Kyungsoo who remains standing. Jongdae takes the opportunity to look around, wondering where the best possible escape route would be, if things go south he at least wants to make it out alive.

“Do Taejung’s wife was the best kept secret of the war, at least, so everyone thought. When the news broke that he had a son, of course everyone was skeptical. The Kim’s got to him before we could. I assume if he were a real threat he would have been disposed of by now.”

“A threat?” Kyungsoo questions, moving forward a little which has Jung Yunho moving forward to, the same pissed off look on his face since they walked in.

“Reports never indicated that your brother has any powers, not to mention, no one’s seen a _dragon_ since your father was killed,” Yunho answers for his father, looking at Kyungsoo with the most condescending look he’s quite possibly seen on another royal.

Jongdae frowns in his direction, never having actually met him properly but knowing he’s at least old enough to remember the ending of the war. Regardless, he already doesn’t like him, he doesn’t like any of them. He can’t tell if it’s just bias, but he doesn’t trust the Jung’s, especially the King. For a moment he seriously questions what he’s even doing here, because it doesn’t make any sense, but then King Jung clears his throat and he doesn’t have time to dwell on it.

“Let’s not wear out our guests with politics. I’m sure Kyungsoo and his friend are tired,” King Jung speaks up, beckoning a group of servants over with a wave of his hand. “They’ll show you to your rooms where you can freshen up. We can continue talking at dinner.”

A guard comes towards both he and Seulgi, making him back up a little and give him a glare when he sees him pull out a knife. He hesitates when he points towards his hands, eventually deciding that King Jung wouldn’t just chop his hands off without reason, slowly extending his arms.

He lets out a breath of relief when all the guard does is cut the rope, immediately moving to rub his sore wrists. He hopes they can finally heal now, giving a little glare towards the guard just because he can’t very well glare at Jaehyun who put it on him in the first place without him here. Seulgi looks just as relieved, immediately rushing up to Kyungsoo who hasn’t moved yet.

Kyungsoo follows after the maids silently, seeming completely unbothered by anything, which is annoying. Jongdae casts one last look at King Jung before turning around and paying attention to where they’re going. He tries his best to pay attention to his surroundings, hoping to recognize the route they’re using, just in case.

“What’s your problem?” Seulgi snaps as soon as they get lead into a guest suite, making him gape and look over at her in shock.

“I don’t have a problem?” he questions, getting sneered at which only confuses him even more.

“Not you, _idiot_ ,” Seulgi replies sternly, shaking her head and pointing an accusatory finger at Kyungsoo who is turning around from looking out the window. “ _Him_.”

“I really hate the snow,” Kyungsoo replies, completely ignoring Seulgi which only infuriates her more. Jongdae blinks back his surprise at her temper, the glasses nearby shaking. “It’s so annoying.”

“What did he do?” Jongdae questions slowly, getting a shrug from Kyungsoo who remains unbothered as he moves to lie on the small couch in the center of the room by the balcony.

“You don’t think it’s important for me to be able to know what you’re thinking when we’re in some foreign castle surrounded by people we don’t know if we can trust?” Seulgi continues to scold, making him frown as he goes and tries to sit at the foot of the couch, getting glared at by Kyungsoo who relents and pulls his feet up.

“ _I_ didn’t do anything,” Kyungsoo sighs out, returning the glare Seulgi is still sending his way, but otherwise remaining somewhat calm. At least, the ground isn’t shaking, which his nice. “Since when have I _ever_ been able to keep you from snooping?” he questions seriously, making Seulgi start to pout a little.

“You mean, there’s a way to stop you from poking around in my head, and you didn’t tell me?” Jongdae questions, turning towards Kyungsoo who scoffs at him before shoving his head as he gets up, making him grunt.

“Not unless you’re a witch. I didn’t do _anything_. So, don’t be mad at me over something I _didn’t do_ ,” Kyungsoo emphasizes, “Maybe it was the girl.”

Seulgi immediately narrows her eyes, grumbling lowly to herself as she comes and sits next to him, looking irritated. Well, more so. Kyungsoo doesn’t pay much more attention to her ranting though, choosing to look around the suite with a curious glint in his eyes. When he gets towards a flower vase his nose immediately scrunches up in distaste, making him want to laugh.

“Insoo hates the smell of peonies,” he shares, recalling the disgusted face the younger male makes any time they’re in bloom in the gardens. “He favorite flowers are—”

“Bearded irises,” Kyungsoo finishes for him, making his brows start to furrow in confusion.

“Um, yeah, the purple ones are his favorite,” he replies slowly, eyeing the other male skeptically when he rubs his nose and starts looking down.  “How did you know?” he questions curiously, gaining the attention of Seulgi who has finished grumbling to herself.

“Lucky guess,” Kyungsoo eventually replies with a shrug. “Did you understand what they were saying earlier?”

Jongdae shakes his head before deflating a little. “We don’t really see a lot of people from the south and if we do, they don’t speak _Drakonian_. The common tongue is well, more common. They were talking too quick for me to try and figure it out.”

“You’re kind of a useless pet,” Kyungsoo states plainly, making his eye twitch.

“Go to hell,” he mutters, getting smiled at before Kyungsoo exits the main room to explore more.

Jongdae sighs, looking over at Seulgi who is still sulking, glaring at the door unhappily.

“Could you read King Jung’s mind?” he questions, making her twitch a little. He purses his lips when she starts to flush, looking embarrassed.

“I didn’t even think about it,” she says slowly, making him roll his eyes. “I was too distracted with Kyungsoo.”

Jongdae shakes his head as he looks around the room, getting up and going to look outside. It’s starting to snow more heavily now, coating the rest of the castle in white. He wouldn’t be surprised if it storms tonight, knowing they’re long overdue for a blizzard. It’s usually relentless snow this time of the year. He shivers a little before moving away from the window, left to worry about what King Jung has planned for them.

 

\--

 

Jongin clenches and unclenches his fists at his side, fighting hard to keep his temper in check as he remains silent. His father and King Byun are currently talking, and he isn’t really in a position to interrupt, although he desperately _wants_ to. They’re in the castle room in the Byun’s palace, have been for several hours since Minseok and Joonmyun showed up. The room consists of his father and his uncles, several council men from both Kingdoms and of course King Byun and his brother-in-law as well as Jo Hyeran’s father. His own future father-in-law is across from him and he does his best to completely ignore him. 

Baekhyun is standing next to him, staying respectfully quiet while he listens attentively. The elders have been talking for what seems like hours, reports of raids in the border towns reaching the palace shortly after Minseok and Joonmyun stumbled back. Joonmyun is awake and talking, Minseok resting. Jongdae still hasn’t been located and neither has Insoo.

It’s been _weeks_ since he disappeared and at this rate, whatever trace he left behind is probably long gone. It’s going to make tracking him near impossible and his father knows that, not even bringing him up at this point. They have bigger problems to worry about, the raids and rumors of the Jung’s readying their armies is taking precedence over anything to do with Insoo, making him fidget.

When he’s had enough he gets up and heads for the door, ignoring the bickering still going on and walking out. He doesn’t have the patience to just sit around and do _nothing_ , heading to the room he’s been given and packing up what little he does have with him. He isn’t going to wait for his father’s permission, strapping his sword in place and leaving the room.

He gets himself to the stables and isn’t even surprised to see Baekhyun standing around, turning when he finally realizes he’s behind him. He shoves the elder out of the way and looks at the mares, trying to find one to take. He isn’t about to listen to whatever Baekhyun is going to tell him.

“You’re an idiot if you think it’s a good idea to just _leave_. If your cousins couldn’t find him, what makes you think _you_ can?” Baekhyun questions, making him suppress a growl as he turns to glare at him.

“One is a bastard and the other is incompetent. Do _not_ compare me to them,” he snaps, turning back around and settling with a black palomino who looks sturdy enough to last in the snow. It’s bound to start snowing soon.

“Regardless, you’re the future of your kingdom. You can’t just go out there on your own,” Baekhyun argues, giving him a judging look that irritates him to no end. He’s right, but Jongin will never admit that out loud. “Sehun and I will go with you. I’m getting bored around here anyways.”

Just as Baekhyun shrugs, Sehun walks into the stables, a bag strapped to the horse he’s leading in. The guard is already dressed for traveling, tossing a pair of clothes at Baekhyun who smiles appreciatively before putting on the extra layers. Jongin looks outside and sees that it’s starting to snow, making him frown. It’ll definitely make things harder for traveling, but he isn’t going to let that stop him. No matter how much he hates the snow.

“Did you leave the note for my father?” Baekhyun questions, opening the gate for a beige horse that is immediately nudging at the elder, letting out an appreciative huff when he gets handed a sugar cube.

“Yes, your highness,” Sehun replies boredly, moving to help Baekhyun mount his horse before going back to his own.

Jongin rolls his eyes, opening the stall for the horse he’s chosen and going to find a saddle bound to be put up somewhere in the stables. He’s tempted to not even bother with one, teleporting to the last spot he saw Insoo and just going from there, but, considering everything going on right now, he doesn’t want to accidentally walk into something he’s not prepared for. Traveling the long way is the only option he has right now.

He tunes out the other two males as he gets the saddle strapped onto his mare, ignoring his wolf. He won’t stop pestering him lately, wanting to be let out, which wouldn’t be unusual if it were getting close to a full moon, but its not. Ever since the festival something has just felt, _off_. Something he can’t pin point into one particular thing. It’s a lot of little things that by themselves, aren’t that much of a big deal.

He knows he isn’t losing his mind when his wolf starts noticing them too, in the back of his mind and on edge. Jongin doesn’t alert anyone, keeping it to himself to sort out instead. He’s not sure what it all means but isn’t willing to let himself point out any possible weakness. He’ll deal with it when he absolutely has to. Right now, finding Jongdae and Insoo is more important.

He moves to mount his horse when the ground starts shaking violently, spooking all the horses and nearly getting him kicked as he has to fall to avoid the horse’s hooves making contact with his face. Somewhere above the horses loudly neighing he can hear Baekhyun curse as he falls off his own horse, Sehun immediately moving to help him as the shaking stops.

Jongin frowns, getting up and grabbing a hold of the reigns to try and calm the horse down. He looks over at Baekhyun who is dusting himself off, looking irritated as Sehun moves to fix his crown for him. It’s almost comical but he settles with a smirk instead of a downright laugh, not wanting to hear the elder complain the whole way.

“Did you plan that too?” he questions as he finally calms the horse down enough to mount it.

“No, but, I guess people will be too distracted by _that_ to notice us missing,” Baekhyun huffs out as he remounts his horse and gives its sides a little nudge to get her moving. “Although, we should still get the hell out of here as quick as we can.”

Jongin rolls his eyes, nudging his horse and then slowly getting out of the stable, unsure how that last earthquake left things. It was probably the strongest one so far, which is a concern in itself as they get more frequent. He can’t get used to them, not having experienced them growing up in the North.  The only time they had quakes in the North was before he was even born, back when there were still dragons.

“Why are you stopping?” Sehun questions when he pulls his mare to a halt in the middle of the road that leads away from the palace.

Jongin frowns, shaking his head and ignoring the other males confused glance as he starts moving again.

“Nothing. We shouldn’t be on the main roads, people will spot us easier,” he replies plainly, going off route and heading into the neighboring woods. A wolf is safer in the woods.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> annnnnnnd we're back to the Boys !!!  
> i hope the last chapter was informative ? i will probably have another past chapter further along... idk if ill do one or two more but it will tie everything currently going on together! 
> 
> anyways, eventually is over and done with so this will be my main fic now...so hopefully quicker updates jaskldjal unless i stupidly start another thing LOL  
> we should be getting to some more interesting plot points soon so owo 
> 
> also! in case you didn't know i had to move my acc on twitter bc it basically jailed my old one. so i am here now: https://twitter.com/jjokkomi2.


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